Stronger (GhiraLink)
by sealedtemple
Summary: (MAJOR BOTW SPOILERS) He was the first to talk to him, the first to reach out a hand. Ghirahim is a mysterious man with just about as many troubles as the hero himself.
1. Open Your Eyes

Hi, attempt #2 at another ghiralink fanfiction. This one is essentially breath of the wild, but I plan to add plenty of changes (not going to mention the scale of these changes, because while I have an outline, I really dont know)

Ive been exploring the idea of ghira and link in botw, so its kinda nice to share some of these ideas and such with you guys.

"Open your eyes."

The voice sounded thin and distorted, as if he were underwater. He could almost see the speaker, though she twisted and broke apart, then came back together again as a slight breeze disturbed the fragile surface of the water. But he could see that she was blond and wore a white dress. He tried reaching out to her, somehow certain that her safety was his responsibility, but he found he could not move no matter how hard he tried. His limbs were simply too heavy.

"Open your eyes."

All at once, the owner of the voice was gone, but he could still hear her through the blanket of cold, black water. He tried to call out to her, to tell her that it was too dangerous ( _what_ was too dangerous?), to wait for him, but alas he could not speak. He felt as if he were drowning—he couldn't draw in air or anything. He knew he needed to get out, but how was he supposed to if he could not move?

"Wake up, Link."

All at once, Link could breathe. Around him, the waters receded, but now they reflected a vibrant blue light. Whether it had responded to the woman's voice or something else, Link didn't know. A chill now set deep into his skin, even in areas that were supposed to be covered. It took him a few moments to realize that he was completely nude.

His limbs still felt heavy when he sat up, but he was relieved that he was able to move them now. He looked around the dark, cold room. There were strange, blue markings on the wall that somehow resembled stars and constellations, but he could discern no significance from them no matter how hard he tried. The floors were rimmed with strange markings that resembled waves.

A few feet away, a stone stood, embellished in more blue lights that now formed an eye with a teardrop. Concealing part of this eye was a pair of underwear.

Link climbed out of his bed, though when he looked back at it he realized that it looked more like a tub than anything.

 _Where even am I? How did I get in here?_

He couldn't remember anything. He knew he was _supposed_ to know, but he _didn't_ know.

Link approached the stone, snatching the underwear and yanking it on, thankful that he at least had _something_ to cover himself up with. He flinched when the stone shifted, and its surface rotated so that a strange, glowing stone tablet now stuck out. At first, it showed another eye with a teardrop, but this faded. Now, at the top were the words SHEIKAH SLATE. Below it was the words DOCKED, FULLY CHARGED. And in the center was UNDOCK TO WAKE.

For a few moments, Link hesitated, but he took it. Perhaps it was left there for him. And if not he would return it.

A small tremor shook the room, and less than a foot away two doors slid open to reveal a small tunnel illuminated by blue lights and strange writing. At the end, there was another stone. And on the wall to the left was a shirt and pair of pants that appeared too small, but was sufficient. He slipped these on then continued toward the stone at the end of the hall.

This too had an eye with a teardrop. Link looked down at the so-called Sheikah Slate and found that it said GUIDANCE STONE NEARBY. PLACE SLATE FACE-DOWN TO ACTIVATE.

Link did so, and another set of doors opened, revealing bright sunlight. Link squinted as he walked up the steps and into the outside world.

He found himself standing on the side of a tall cliff. Ahead of him the land stretched out eternally, like an ocean, and the hills and mountains were the waves. Standing among this land, seemingly taller than everything else, was a castle surrounded by four pillars. Surrounding this castle was a dark, swirling cloud that occasionally emitted a malicious purple light. Looking at it brought about one word—Demise. Overhead, the sun rose high into the sky, its bright light reflecting off the clear waters of lakes and streams.

Beside him, a trail sloped downhill and lead him to a tall, but decaying, temple. For as far as he could see, there was no one in sight. He began downhill, hoping that perhaps someone was nearby or in the temple.

At the entrance, a single red monster sat, its head drooping over a spiked club. It stirred as Link approached, but he was quick to smash it over the head with a piece of stone from the remains of the temple.

Inside, Link could see several decayed metal...robots. It felt surreal as he looked around at the unfortunately empty ruins, like he was standing somewhere between the future and distant past.

 _This temple doesn't even look like it was built that long ago._

Suddenly, he heard a rapid beeping, like an alarm.

Link turned around to find that one of the robots had come to life and now glowed a bright purple not unlike the cloud surrounding the castle. Its glassy blue eye had set its sights on him and directed a red laser toward his chest. That couldn't be good.

Link let out a gasp and took a step back, suddenly feeling cornered. He dove behind a pile of stone when the laser suddenly became a blinding blue light and the robot let out one final beep of warning.

Behind him, part of the wall exploded in splinters of wood and rock, and the area around it burst into flames. He didn't dare move despite the fire, lest the robot kill him first. To say he was terrified would be an understatement.

However, before he could even consider running, Link heard the sound of shattering glass. When he turned around, the robot had a black and red dagger stuck in its eye. Its head spun around hopelessly, trying to find its target once more without its sensors. He was just in time to see a cloud of diamonds that vanished within seconds.

 _Holy gods, what was that? Whose dagger is that?_

He hesitated, but stood up. The robot turned toward him, but without its eye it could not target him. Eventually, it went still, and the blue light turned off. Link's savior was nowhere to be seen.

Hoping he would see them again, Link headed toward the robot and pulled the dagger out of its eye, pocketing it. Rust had collected at the edges, but perhaps it would come to be of some use. With that, he dashed out of the temple, not eager to burn with it.

So there was no one at the temple. Where was he to go? He had just woken up inside a mysterious room with nothing but his name and an outfit that hung on the wall, and now there were no people he could speak of. Nothing to inform him of what the hell he just walked into.

"You lost, Link?"

Link whipped around to find that the speaker was too close, _much_ too close for a stranger. Acting on impulse more than anything, Link punched them as hard as he could. They stumbled back, holding their nose.

Now that Link was no longer face-to-face with their chest, he could see it was a man that was far from human, with deathly gray skin and shiny white hair. And he would have revealed less if they just took off all his clothing and drew a circle around his area.

The man rounded on him, dark eyes staring him down. Link held his ground, his hands balled into fists so tight his knuckles turned white.

"What the _fuck_ was that for?" he exclaimed.

It occurred to him that the man had called him by his supposed name, so he must have known him. Still, he had been _much_ too close for comfort.

Link relaxed, but only slightly. His hands remained balled up.

"Who are you?" he asked, his own voice sounding strange to him. It was the first words he had said since waking up.

For a few moments, the man simply stared at him, his hand falling to his side.

Then he vanished, leaving diamonds in his wake.

Link stared at the spot where the man had been previously, inexplicably angry. The first person he saw, and they disappeared again within seconds.

People. He needed people. He needed someone to tell him something about where he was and maybe even explain the Sheikah Slate to him.

Maybe there were hardly any people left. Maybe there were more of those robots, and maybe those robots had killed more people than anyone could count. The thought was irrational, perhaps, but it still managed to pierce him.

He buried his face in his hands, feeling a sense of panic sink into his skin. That was the last thing he needed.

Most of the robots were dead or dying, so perhaps there were people left. He hoped. Either way, he could not stay where he was. Otherwise the monsters would find him, and eventually the fires would spread.

In the distance, there were two mountains that appeared to have been sliced down the middle. Among the smaller hills and valleys, they stood out. Hoping that the two mountains attracted people, he grabbed the monster's club from the front of the temple and began his descent, carefully climbing down the side of the cliff until he found himself in a flat plain. From there, he found a road that lead toward the mountains and followed it.

–

By the time Link reached them, he was exhausted. Already he'd been ambushed by monsters several times, and with him being so poorly armed (the club had quickly broken), he was sometimes forced to run as fast as he could until he was certain he would collapse if he didn't slow down. He had to be thankful that most of the monsters were weak, stupid, and slow. So far.

Now, though, the twin peaks, as he began to call them, loomed over him, their black, rock forms casting a solid shadow over him. They seemed to be seconds away from crashing together, crushing anything between and cutting off the river that ran through them. For this reason, they intimidated him.

The mountain on which he'd woke on was miles behind him, concealed behind a curtain of fog.

When the sound of music reached his ears, Link smiled. Despite how exhausted he was, despite how much his feet hurt, despite how much his bruises and cuts hurt, he walked with renewed vigor, knowing that there could be nothing on the other end but people.

When Link reached the other side, he was ready to collapse again. Just a few feet away was a strange building with what appeared to be a head of a horse, carved out of wood, on the top of it. At the front there was a man behind a counter who gave him odd looks; considering how bad he must have looked, Link didn't blame him.

"Welcome," a man said. He stopped sweeping the ground just around the building to look at him. Immediately, he frowned. "You're looking a bit rough. You might wanna get a bed from that guy over there." It didn't take long for the man's eyes to trail down to the Sheikah Slate on Link's hip. "Is that from the Sheikah?"

Link only shrugged. His stomach growled loudly, enough for the man to wince.

"Maybe you should get some food too. There's a girl over there that'll make you something if you pay her to."

 _I don't have any money,_ Link thought, a sense of dread filling his empty stomach. Defeated by his current predicament, he trudged inside the building and slumped against the wooden wall, ignoring his growling stomach and throbbing head from when a bokoblin smacked him in the head with its club.

–

When he stirred again, Link guessed that it was sometime near the morning. Although any of the employees would say that he had been out for several hours, Link felt as if he hadn't slept at all, and it took his dull senses a moment to realize that someone stood over him. A pile of what felt like rocks sat in one of his hands, and something had been strewn across his torso.

"Pitiful," the person said. Link recognized his voice as the man he'd seen at the temple. "Can't even leave him any money or even any of _his own_ clothes. What was she thinking? That society would just stop existing while she's in that castle? Ugh, even after an eon the Hylia incarnate is still a fucking imbecile."

Link shifted as he forced his eyes open once more. The man glanced at him to show that he noticed, but otherwise didn't look at him. He looked down to find a sky blue shirt and yellow undershirt sitting in his lap. The blue shirt featured white markings of what appeared to be a sword, among other designs he didn't recognize. It was much better than the shirt he currently wore.

"Shirt's yours. Had to wrestle five Sheikah for it and I couldn't get the pants, but it's better than whatever shit you're wearing. You look like a peasant." The man groaned as he set a bowl of stew beside him. "The princess said she loves you and yada yada but then she proceeded to be a bitch. It's her fault her arms nearly became your death bed and she didn't even give you basic necessities." The man clicked his tongue and glared at the bowl. "I scraped up a few Rupees for you, but unfortunately even high-ranking demons like myself have our limits. Green is one, blue is five, and red is twenty."

Link glanced down at the small pile of gems in his hand, then looked up at the man...or demon. "I still don't know who you are."

"Lord Ghirahim. You're _supposed_ to know me, but I guess that's trivial now. Go ahead and eat. Don't expect me to do this again."

Lord Ghirahim looked appear angry enough to grab Link and clobber someone over the head with him.

Link was quick to dig into the stew. With that being his first meal in forever, he was quick to finish. Ghirahim leaned against the wall, looking down at a girl that had fallen asleep sometime before.

When he was done, Link looked up at him. "You said we knew each other before...Ghirahim. How?"

"Like I said, it's trivial. I would assume you know how to use that thing on your hip? Or did she leave you clueless to that, too?"  
Link frowned at the change of subject, but looked down at his hip, at the Sheikah Slate. "No...I don't."

Ghirahim closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. "This is fucking ridiculous. She even _knew_ you wouldn't know shit. Do you even know what it's called?"

"Who're you even talking about?"

" _My_ question before yours."

Link glowered at him. "Uh...a Sheikah Slate? Now can you-"

"Oh, good. You can still read. I suppose you should just mess around with it. It's nothing I know anything about." Link groaned. Ghirahim turned to look at him, still scowling. "Here's a sword, too. Since no one thought to give you a weapon."

He snapped his fingers and a simple, flimsy-looking sword, already in its sheath and attached to a strap, appeared and fell to the ground, clattering and clanging upon impact."By the way, if you follow this road the way you've been going, you should eventually find Kakariko Village. Find Impa, and unless she's just as shitty as Zelda, she'll explain."

"Can't you explain anything yourself?" Link said, temper rising. "Like, you know, that princess you were talking about."

Lord Ghirahim laughed as if Link had just told him a joke. "You'll find out eventually. Just remember: if you can, always go for the eye. That seemed to get some of your predecessors through life. I'm sure it will work for you."

With that, he was gone again, leaving Link hardly more informed than before.


	2. Can't Afford to Cry

I'm going off memory bc I'm not waiting 5 minutes every time I just want to look at the design of a village for 30 seconds and i'm not searching a youtube video for it. I love BotW but its size is really a large setback when you're used to shorter loading screens.

Also, Link's naming his horses after mine. Don't be surprised if the name ""Big G"" pops up somewhere

Before Link had even been able to consider heading toward Kakariko, he slipped on the blue shirt and pocketed the Rupees he'd been given, before falling asleep once more.

When he awoke again, the sun was high overhead and in the distance dark clouds collected and grew as they came nearer and nearer. The staff within the building gave him odd looks every time they turned their head to look at him on the floor, but he paid them no mind. He stepped outside and approached the man that had greeted him the day before. Today, the man was around the side of the building, where the horses were kept, and was currently cleaning up after them. Despite the less than pleasant job, he seemed to be in a good mood, humming as he picked up the waste with gloved hands.

"Hey," Link said. The man snapped his gaze up to him.

"Morning. Oh, nice shirt," he said. "Do you need something?"

Link held up his hand to greet him, then lowered it as he spoke. "Do you know the way to Kakariko Village?"

"Just follow this road. There's a fork, but the sign should tell you where to go unless it got broke again. You don't plan to get there on foot, do you?"

"I don't have much of a choice."

The man frowned as he got to his feet. "We usually release our horses over there, so there might be a few semi-tamed ones. If you're gentle and quiet, the horses over there'll probably let you ride them. Bring one back and I can get you a saddle an all that for free since it's your first time. But Kakariko is a long ways away. You'll probably collapse before you ever get there. Take a couple of apples, too. It'll help."

The man pointed toward a field. Indeed, even from where he stood Link could see a group of horses, their heads lowered so that they could eat the grass. After grabbing a few of apples from a barrel around the side of the stable, Link headed toward this field, careful to not make sudden movements. The horses hadn't seen him yet, but that didn't mean he could do anything that could spook them just in case they decided to turn their heads.

The situation felt familiar, as if at one time long ago he'd done it before. Something within him clicked, and all of a sudden Link felt as if he _knew_ what he was doing. Almost all apprehension faded away as he approached the group. He tried to think back to the last time he'd done this, but the memory he tried to recall remained just out of reach, taunting him.

As he approached, the horses turned their heads, but did not bolt. He slowly and carefully took an apple from his hands and held it out. There were only three. One was a strange, whitish color that made it appear pink, another a dark gray. The third was a shade of brown that distinctly reminded Link of chocolate (at least he remembered what that was), with a white muzzle. He headed toward this one, cautiously lifting his hand with the apple. He stopped a foot or two away, allowing the horse room to make a decision.

It snorted, then headed toward him.

In a couple of bites, it ate the apple. Link stroked its mane, whispering soothing words to it though it was not spooked. With that, he gently gripped its mane, still whispering to it in a soothing voice. It snorted and whinnied in protest when he gently tugged on it, but soon followed him without a problem as he lead it toward the stable.

The man looked up as soon as Link approached him.

"Already?" he asked. "For a first-timer, you're good." Link was sure he wasn't a first-timer, but he didn't bother to mention it. He didn't think the fact that he woke up with next to no memory of himself was something he could just tell anyone.

The man nodded toward the stable, at the man behind the counter. "Ricky over there'll take care of you."

In the span of twenty minutes, Link's horse, a male that he named Chocolate, had been fitted with a saddle and bridle (Link had to stand there with him, otherwise Chocolate threw a fit). It took another hour for the stable hands to make sure that Chocolate would allow Link to ride him and that he would allow Link to guide him. They also made sure he had enough food for the trip, which costed around twenty rupees alone. With all that done, Link headed off toward Kakariko.

The road was flat and empty, with only a few trees sparsely spread out around him. Hardly anyone traveled by the road, although Link would have expected there to be more traffic as it lead either to a stable for a village. It was a couple of hours before Link came across anything noteworthy—a rotten, decaying wooden sign. Link could just barely read the words despite them being written in large, white letters. On the right the road ran through a valley that the sign claimed led to Hateno Village. And on the left, the road wound up and around a mountain on which Kakariko supposedly sat. He directed Chocolate to the left and continued on.

By the time Link had reached the mountain, the sun was falling below the horizon once more. Behind him, the waters reflected the orange light to create a brilliant view of the plains. But overhead, the clouds collected and grew, and soon it was raining.

The road to Kakariko seemed dangerous, with nothing but open air to his left. There was no shelter from the elements, either, so Link and Chocolate were drenched and cold. Soon, even Chocolate snorted in protest. Link dismounted him and lead him along, occasionally feeding him an apple slice. That seemed to be enough to convince him to continue despite the miserable conditions. When it stopped, both man and horse silently thanked the goddesses.

Eventually, he reached an archway from which a banner featuring an eye with a teardrop hung. It looked just like the eye on the Sheikah Slate. Made of old, weathered wood, the archway seemed to be on the verge of collapsing, and even when he passed under it Link glanced back several times to see if it would fall. It never did.

 _That must be a Sheikah symbol or something,_ Link thought. _I think we're close._

And he _was_ close. Soon, Link came across another arch. Beyond this arch was a small village. A small river ran straight through the middle of the currently quiet village, serving as one of the only sounds. The houses were small with roofs that curved inward ever so slightly. Lanterns hung overhead, burning a bright orange that illuminated the village even in the dead of night.

Link had expected something more advanced, something that reflected the technology contained within the slate Link carried. Instead Link felt as if he stepped in some odd fantasy world that still remained in the past.

The road ran straight through the village. On the other side, it lead to a mossy stone archway. To the right of this archway on the other side was a house that was larger than the others, with a large porch that ran around the entire house. A set of dark, wooden steps lead up to the front door. On the side of these steps were two guards, both of which carrying curved, short swords.* Both of the guards were men that wore several layers of clothing. Their white hair was tied back into long ponytails.

Chocolate snorted, tugging at the reigns.

"I'll let you rest in a minute, boy," Link said, softly patting him. Chocolate settled down, but only for the moment.

 _Impa. I think the person Ghirahim told me to see was Impa._

Link directed Chocolate toward the two guards. As he approached, they looked at him with narrowed, red eyes.

"What business do you have here?" one of them asked, voice firm, almost hostile. Link gulped; he didn't doubt that they would stab him if he wasn't careful.

"I need to find someone named Impa," he said. Chocolate, sensing his nervousness, nudged him.

"What business do you have with Lady Impa, boy?" Now the man was eyeing Link's shirt with obvious suspicion. Link recalled that Ghirahim said he had to wrestle five Sheikah for it, and wondered if that was why.

"I...I need to talk with her," he said. "I was told she could help me."

Now the man's eyes were on his hips, on the Sheikah Slate.

"Are you Link?" the man asked suddenly. Link nodded. With a gasp, both guards bowed. "I apologize. You may speak with her, she's inside. We will care for your horse."

Link hesitated, but he handed Chocolate's reigns to the guard, who handed it to another girl that had seemed to appear out of nowhere. The shyly smiled at Link as she took Chocolate, then quickly turned away.

Link walked up the steps and inside the house. It felt cramped with a low ceiling and stairs on both sides. Just a few feet away, an elderly lady sat on a pillow, legs crossed and eyes closed. She appeared to be meditating until Link stepped closer and she opened her eyes to look at him.

"So you finally awaken," the lady said. "Welcome, Link. I am Impa."

Somehow, Link had expected someone...younger. Impa currently looked to be on the brink of death, but her voice was still strong.

"I'm sure the princess managed to tell you about the matter at hand, correct?"

Link shook his head. "I don't even know who Zelda is."

Almost immediately, Impa's expression gave way to a frown. "Well this is odd. I suppose it means she has weakened more than first thought. Well, then, Link. You may as well sit down. I'll explain as much as I can."

Link sat on the floor across from her, crossing his legs as well.

"Every millennia or so, Hyrule is threatened by a terrible beast called Ganon. Ten thousand years ago, we believe that the ancient Sheikah created an army to assist the two people that always sealed Ganon away—the Princess of Light, and the One Chosen by the Sword. A hundred years ago, the return of Ganon had been foretold, and upon command recovered this army. Among several thousands of strange robots we call guardians, we recovered Four Divine Beasts, which led to us choosing the Five Champions. One was chosen by the Blade of Evil's Bane, and the other four controlled the Divine Beasts and would assist in sealing Ganon.

"A hundred years ago, you were the Hylian Champion, the One Chosen by the Sword. I had planned to give you that shirt once you made it here, as it was your uniform, but someone took it. I'm thankful it wound up in the right hands."

For a few moments, Link was certain his heart stopped. He had only been able to hear one part of Impa's last few sentences. "A hundred years ago? _A hundred years ago?_ Is that how long I've been asleep?"

"Unfortunately...yes. You had been fighting alongside the princess, but despite your power...you nearly met a dreadful end. That shrine you woke up in was the Shrine of Restoration. You and Zelda were about to defeat Ganon, but it turned our own army against us when we needed it most. You were the only Champion we managed to save. The other four are within the Divine Beasts, trapped and probably dead."

"So what do I do?"

"Free them. Free the Divine Beasts and the Champions from Ganon. Then you must infiltrate what is left of Hyrule Castle and defeat the King of Evil himself. That is the only chance you have at saving what is left of Hyrule. Do you have the Sheikah Slate?"

Link nodded, and pulled the strange tablet off his hip. Impa took it, touching and sliding her finger across the screen. Link watched with interest, wondering what she could be doing. Then she handed it back to him.

"Now it should lead you to the Divine Beasts. I also set it up so you can easily access its true abilities; just touch the screen. You should experiment with these abilities... _away_ from people. If you know how to use them, they can be useful to you. I wish you luck."

Link nodded before another question reached his mind. "What of Zelda? What happened to her?"

Impa's eyes widened slightly. "Do you remember her?"

"Well...no, but I've heard of her. I just want to know."

The shocked expression fell to one of disappointment. "She's in Hyrule Castle, fighting Ganon alone. She has been doing that the entire time you were asleep in the Shrine of Restoration. You must be as fast as possible—I believe Ganon may attempt to destroy her the moment it gets the chance. If that happens, the world will surely be destroyed."

Link nodded, his eyes now glued to the floor. At least he wasn't the only one still alive after Ganon's return.

"I can pay for an inn," Impa said, brows furrowed. Now doubt she could tell that the task before him was sinking in. "I have a few hundred Rupees I can lend you, but if you need more you will have to get it yourself."

Another question popped into Link's head. He was scared to ask it, afraid that maybe there was really no way, but he decided to voice it anyway. "Do you think there's any way I can remember my life before I nearly died?"

"I would think that you could by revisiting places you've been...Perhaps you could go along the road by here. It was one of the last places you traveled to before that day. Here-" She fished through a pot behind her and pulled out a gold Rupee. "Three hundred Rupees. Use it sparingly."

He took the Rupee as he stood up. Suddenly, he felt sick. He didn't want to hear anymore. Not tonight. "Thank you. I should probably go. I'm kinda tired..."

"Good luck," Impa said. "Although I do hope you don't need it."

"Bye," Link quickly before he rushed out of the house.

His head swam as he turned toward the archway. Yes, he'd been there...once, a long time ago. The four Champions had been with him, too. He'd gone there to accompany the princess...somewhere.

It was the day Ganon had returned. He could remember his own terror clearly. The black cloud that had enshrouded Hyrule...the demands for him to get to the castle as quickly as possible. It seemed as if everything was going to be okay. Where had it gone wrong?

Deciding to think on such matters no more that night, Link turned his back to the archway the stone road beyond. Even in the darkness of the night, he easily spotted the sign that marked the inn. He headed toward it, moving quickly, and paid for a room. Almost as soon as an employee directed him to it, he walked in slumped on top of the bed as Impa's words finally crashed over him like a tsunami, crushing him.

He barely remembered anything about himself, much less about Zelda or even the group of Champions he was supposedly a part of, yet here he was, expected to save the world with nothing but what he could scavenge and a piece of ancient technology he didn't even know how to use.

He was expected to be stronger than before, but he that he was weaker. Much weaker. The day before, he hadn't even been able to take on a group of stupid, weak monsters. How could he take on something as powerful as Ganon?

A quiet chuckle was the only thing that alerted him of Ghirahim's presence before he spoke.

"Why are you just wallowing in bed?" Ghirahim asked, the mockery not missing from his voice.

"I'm trying to sleep."

"No you're not. You're just crying about having to save the world, aren't you?"

Link was silent. He twisted his head so that it sunk into the pillow, hiding his face.

"You're not that hard to read, you know."

"Fine. But try being put in my situation. You'd be doing the same thing."

Ghirahim laughed softly. "I have once. A _long_ time ago, but the situation was about the same. And, believe me, I couldn't afford to cry."

Link twisted to look up at Ghirahim to find him leaning against the wall, arms crossed casually. For now, he had hope that maybe this man could get him out of the rut he'd found himself in. "Then what did you do?"

"I did precisely what I was told, and technically I _did_ succeed. I know if I can do it, you can as well."

This didn't reassure Link much; despite Ghirahim claiming he'd gone through something similar, he still felt very much alone. "What makes you so sure?"

"Because I can tell you're still very much the same, even if you yourself don't know it. Many of your friends...unless they're dead, of course...would probably say the same thing." Ghirahim's eyes met his, When he next spoke, his countenance suddenly became firm and authoritative. "I have high expectations and I know you can meet them. Anyway, you should sleep, because tomorrow I guarantee I will drag you out of that bed and dump you in the river if you don't wake up before I get here. I don't think it'll be pleasant to wake up underwater."

With a laugh, Ghirahim vanished again. The diamonds followed him.

Indeed, the next day, Link woke with a start in Kakariko's river.

*the appropriate term is wakizashi, at least when I looked it up, but Link doesn't know that. I just put this because I dont want to look stupid lmao


	3. The Rito

This chapter got pretty long pretty easy. Tell me if it drags and I can cut some stuff out.

I also got sick in the middle of writing this, so it may not be that great.

The first thing Link knew that morning was the darkness of murky water. He choked as he clawed his way to the surface, panic gripping him. It wasn't long before someone grabbed his wrist yanked him unceremoniously out of the water with surprising strength. He looked up to find that it was none other than Ghirahim.

"You _bastard_ ," Link spat, mood already put off for the day. He rubbed his wrist, certain it had been dislocated.

"I warned you," Ghirahim replied with an infuriatingly calm voice.

Link looked up at the sky to find that the sun had barely risen; compared to the light of day, the sky was still dark.

"The only way I would be up this early is if I couldn't sleep," Link said, turning back to glare at him. Ghirahim returned it with a grin that showed that he absolutely did not care. "Asshole."

"It's my job. Now hurry up and grab your things. Dry off, too. I doubt your horse would love you while you're soaking wet." Ghirahim stood up and crossed his arms. "And be fast. My patience is thin. I'll be waiting outside the village."

"Where're you even taking me?"

"Rito Village."

Link opened his mouth to ask a question, but Ghirahim answered it before he could even speak.

"One of the Divine Beasts is there. Now hurry up, will you? I'll be waiting outside the village the way you came in."

Ghirahim vanished again. Link, already cranky from his rude and untimely awakening, was tempted to meet him just to chew him out. However, he figured that this man was trying to help him and refrained. The woman at the desk lent him a towel so he could dry off. He was still incredibly cold and damp, but he dried himself the best he could. With that done, he rushed to his room, snatching his sword and Sheikah Slate. With these things being his only belongings, he went back out to Impa's house. Two new guards waited by her door, these two being female. Both looked just as intimidating as the last. The girl that had gotten his horse the night before looked up and beamed at him. Link returned it, which earned a small squeak from the girl. She looked down at her lap, suddenly shy.

"Y-your horse is around the side. He's sweet"

"Thanks," Link said, frowning lightly as she nodded, avoiding his gaze. _Why does she have to be so shy?_

Just as the girl said, Chocolate waited for him around the side of the house, kept in a pen roomy for one horse. It could fit two, but most likely the two horses would quickly become cranky at being squeezed in such a tight space.

Link greeted him with an apple slice (Link kept part of it for himself) before leading Chocolate through the village. He bought carrots and cooked meat from one of the stores in the town before he went toward the outskirts of the village. True to his word, Ghirahim stood outside the gate, leaned against the side of the mountain, arms and legs crossed casually. He looked up even before Link came into view, his senses sharp despite his lack of a left ear.

"Nice horse," Ghirahim commented. "I hope it enjoys long trips."

Link didn't respond as he fixed Chocolate's saddle and bridle. The Sheikah had apparently packed something extra, for he now carried saddle bags. When he reached in one of them he pulled out an oddly-shaped shield with the Sheikah symbol.

"Ooh, nice. They gave you a present," Ghirahim said, moving that he was standing over Link, blocking out the hero's shadow. "Seems pretty lame to me. Looks like it's made of plastic. Typical Sheikah, I suppose."

Link clipped the shield on his back. Though he was silent, he still sent bitter looks at Ghirahim out of the corner of his eye. Ghirahim responded with an infuriating grin.

"Well, I suppose we should get going. Rito Village is practically across the planet. If we move quickly, I say we could get there in just under two weeks. Of course, that's assuming we don't run into any monsters or... _travelers._ " Link was tempted to question the emphasis on travelers, but he kept his mouth shut.

Ghirahim started down the mountain, motioning for Link to follow.

Link climbed on Chocolate, nudging his sides to urge him into a walk. As he walked beside Ghirahim, he frowned.

"Don't you have a horse?"  
"Typically don't need one. And animals don't like me anyway."

"But-"

"Damn, Link. There's nothing to worry about. Just worry about your own things."

Link fell silent, but only for a moment.

"Why Rito Village anyway? Is there not somewhere closer?"

"Because I say so." Ghirahim stopped and turned to face him, prompting Link to pull Chocolate to a stop. "Unless you want to seek these out yourself, which is _perfectly_ fine with me, I'm going to be the one taking you to them."

"Why can't I at least decide which one to do first?"

"Because you don't know jack shit. Unless, of course, you remember everything. In which case you would be able to tell me my favorite insult."

"Dumbass?"  
"Not even close. So come on."

Sighing in defeat, Link urged Chocolate into a walk again as Ghirahim continued on. Link noticed that he occasionally glanced back, as if expecting something.

Not ten minutes later the demon glanced back to find him slumped over, his head resting against Chocolate's neck, already falling asleep. Precisely what he expected Link to do.

Ghirahim clicked his tongue, but otherwise didn't bother with it. It was either that or only having him even more cranky later on.

With them only traveling by day, the trip took longer than either of them would have liked. It was over a week before Ghirahim pointed out the vague, birdlike shape flying somewhere that was nearby, yet distant.

Link noticed that they passed a road that appeared to considerably shortened their trip, but when he mentioned it to Ghirahim, he told him it was too dangerous to go .

A couple of hours passed before they noticed anything else of interest. In the distance, Link could see the shape of a horse rearing up—a statue. As they got closer, the odd sensation of deja vu washed over him. Far below them in the distance, the castle stood tall against the sunset. Around it, the fog collected and in the distance he could see storm clouds. Looking over what was left of Hyrule left him with the horrible feeling of deja vu. He could almost _see_ the sunset he was trying to recall, with that same castle standing high, its tall spires reaching for the sky. The sinking sun peeked from behind it, its orange glow nearly blinding the two.

"Haven't I been here before?" Link asked, stifling a yawn. They still had to find shelter to rest, and as they got farther from Kakariko and closer to the snow-capped Hebra mountains, the monsters became more frequent. Oftentimes, the two would have to fight for somewhere to sleep.

"I don't know. I didn't watch you when you traveled. But you've probably been just about everywhere."

"Where are we?"

"Near Tabantha." Ghirahim looked out at the horse statue. It stood atop a ledge that looked out over central Hyrule. In the distance, a volcano stood out above the land. Occasionally, he could look over and see movement along the sides."I believe this is a park, but I don't think I ever learned the name. Anyway, this place seems deserted, even by monsters. I think this is a good place to stop, don't you?"

Ghirahim turned back to Link, who simply nodded in response. It hadn't taken long for the trip to make his companion moody and irritable, so he often just sat in silence unless addressed.

He dismounted Chocolate and tethered him to a nearby tree. After feeding him a few carrots, Link sat near the guardrails, looking out onto Hyrule Field. From where he sat, he could see a tall mountain in the distance, a frosty white fog surrounding the peak.

Yes, Link had been there before. With Zelda. If only he could remember her face; it seemed so far that he'd gone everywhere with her, so why did her face elude him?

Ghirahim watched out of the corner of his eye as he set up the fire, well aware of what Link was trying to do. It was a long time before either of them went to sleep.

–

The next day the two found themselves traveling along the side of a deep canyon. Link wanted to look and see if there was anything down below, but one glimpse at the hundred-foot drop drove him away. This drop only became higher and higher as they went along.

"We may be able to get there by tomorrow," Ghirahim said at one point. This raised Link's spirits considerably.

However, his words could only do so much as the temperature dropped and they got closer and closer to the snow-coated Hebra mountains, climbing higher and higher as they did so. Chocolate did not seem very much affected by the cold, but he wasn't pleased by it either. Link leaned closer to his horse, trying to get _some_ relief from the cold's harsh bite. Even Ghirahim complained. However, this was only for a time, and eventually he became indifferent to it.

Link was the only one that didn't adjust. Instead with every second he became more and more sure he was going to get frostbite. He shivered and curled in on himself, trying to preserve body heat.

It wasn't long before Ghirahim noticed and glanced over. "What's your problem now?"

"I-it's fucking c- _cold,_ " Link said, hardly able to talk at all, much less without stuttering.

Tone colder than the mountains, Ghirahim said, "Deal with it."

It was clear before Link even spoke that his response touched a nerve. "I've b-been _trying_ , dumbass!"

"What do you think I can do about it? My clothes are thinner than yours!"

Link fell silent, glaring at the hills ahead. Gradually, his hands and feet went numb. It was a long time before either of them made a sound; neither of them dared to speak over the whistling wind and the rhythmic sound of Chocolate's hooves crunching in the snow. It eventually reached a point where Link didn't even shiver anymore; he simply sat in silence, growing more and more tired by the minute.

Ghirahim broke the silence with a sigh and pulled off his cape, shoving it toward Link. "You look ready to die over there."

 _I probably am,_ Link thought. He remained silent as he took it and wrapped it around himself. He was too cold for it to help much, so he just pushed it off again. Ghirahim scowled at the action.

"What are you, an idiot? I lent you that for a reason."

Link shrugged it off, too tired to care. What time was it, anyway?

He was too tired to care about that either.

When Link finally stirred, he found that he was enshrouded by the light and warmth of a fire. He wasn't close enough to be comfortably warm, but he was close enough to keep the cold from biting him. He lay wrapped up in a cloth, curled up so that almost everything was covered up. Glancing down, he found that it was the cape Ghirahim had lent him earlier and he rejected.

Ghirahim himself sat a foot or so away, closer to the fire. When Link moved to get closer himself, he turned his head to look at him.

"Finally...I thought you would never wake up."

Ghirahim winced at his own sentence. Link noticed but doubted he wanted to talk about it.

"Where are we?" Link asked.

"Not far from where you fell asleep. Or went unconscious. Whichever one you think it was."

"How long was I out?"

"Two hours, maybe three. Either way we're not going again until tomorrow, so you may as well go back to sleep. I'm pretty sure you nearly died on me."

Link frowned. He moved closer to the fire, next to Ghirahim, then laid his head down. Within moments, he was asleep once more.

It felt as if only moments had passed before Ghirahim roused him again. Link was slow to wake up and get his things together. He moved as slowly as possible, not eager to leave the warmth of the fire. Only when Ghirahim looked ready to slap him did he move quickly.

Once they were on the move again, for the first hour Link felt like he was being tortured. Until he somewhat adjusted to the cold he scowled at the road ahead of them as if he resented the world.

However, just as Link began to adjust to the cold, the found themselves heading down the side of the mountain into a warmer area. They were still pretty high up; to their left, a steep cliff dropped off into a lake. At the center of this lake stood a strange rock. And hovering above it was the strange, bird-like creature that Link quickly learned wasn't alive, but was a robot that resembled a large bird. It wasn't unlike the one Link had seen in the temple.

Eventually, they came across a building not unlike the one Link saw near the twin peaks. It was here that Ghirahim told him to leave his horse, for he wouldn't be needing him. He would probably get spooked by the height anyway. Link hesitated, but allowed the stable hands to take Chocolate.

With that, they walked the final stretch—the bridge across the lake, toward the rock. Both of them were silent as they walked.

Rito Village resembled a giant bird's nest. Each house was built around the rock and offered little protection from the elements, as it was missing walls and windows. A walkway wound around around the rock, allowing any traveler access to nearly everything.

The first Rito Link saw was a grumpy guard just outside the village. He regarded Link's curious gaze with cold, narrowed eyes and motioned for the two to pass.

"Just be mindful of Vah Medoh," he said. "Damned thing nearly killed our best."

As they entered the village, Link noticed the guard staring at Ghirahim. However, he didn't think it was worth mentioning.

It was Ghirahim who broke the silence. "I'd probably talk to the elder about Medoh. I'm gonna see if they have a fucking jacket or something for you."

Ghirahim vanished, leaving Link on his own again.

With a sigh, Link continued up the walkway until he encountered a Rito standing outside one of the "houses". He looked down at the shorter Hylian, smiling lightly. "What do you need?"

"Can I ask about that thing up there?" Link asked.

"Divine Beast Vah Medoh?" the Rito said, smile vanishing. "Don't mind it. So far, it's only attacked anything if it flies too close. It's a bit problematic for us Rito, but for a Hylian like you it should be fine."

 _Oh, so_ that's _the Divine Beast._

"Okay, another thing. Do you know where the elder is? Or...you know...the person over this place?" Link backed up so that he didn't have to crane his neck to look the Rito in the eye. _I didn't know bird people were so tall._

"Oh, he's at the top of here. He doesn't like to be bothered unless it's something important, though."

"That's fine," Link said, heading off before the Rito could question why he even asked.

Indeed, inside the uppermost house of the village an owl-like Rito sat, long brows creased in concern as he listened to the words of what appeared to be a Rito warrior; in the warrior's hands was a large bow whose edges most resembled wings. He also wore armor, although it wasn't that much. Probably because he still had to fly.

Before Link could enter, two guards stopped him. It was similar to Kakariko village.

"State your business," one said, giving Link a death glare.

"I want to help with Vah Medoh."

The guard relaxed, but only slightly. "A Hylian like you? Our _best_ _warriors_ can barely handle it, kid."

Link averted his eyes, but did not walk away. He needed to take back that Divine Beast. "If I can get inside it, I think I can make it stop."

Still, the guard did not step down. "Our elder doesn't need foolishness and jokes right now."

"I'm being serious. I want to help."

"But you can't even-"

"Easy, Kryah," the elder called out behind them. "If he seriously wants to help, who are we to deny him?"

The guard named Kryah lowered his spear and looked over his shoulder at the elder, as if doubting his word. However, he lowered his spear. "Very well. But if the elder commands it, we won't hesitate to throw you out."

Link nodded, certain he wouldn't anger the owl-looking Rito that much. The soldier stepped to the side as Link walked in, gazing at him with a watchful eye.

The elder greeted him with a smile. "Welcome. I'm Kaneli. And you?"

"Link."

The elder frowned, repeating the name under his breath. Then his eyes caught sight of the Sheikah Slate.

"Oh, you're the descendant of a Champion. I figured just as much, considering your shirt."

Link almost corrected him and told him that he _was_ a Champion, but he wondered if the elder would believe him. Because of this, he remained silent.

"I think you know by now that Medoh has been attacking things that fly too close. So far, that's been it. But Jaysi over here thinks that eventually it might start attacking the village itself, and it might even fly to other areas and destroy anything that may be there. But I think that little thing on your hip might be exactly what we need to calm down Vah Medoh. The Champion Revali had one himself. The problem is is getting you up there..."

It was then that the soldier, Jaysi, spoke up.

"When we tried to tame Medoh yesterday, I know Marth got injured, but Teba was fine. He's probably at the flight range, planning his own attack—we know how he is. If he goes alone, I'm certain he would fail, even if his skill is at about the same level as Revali's. But if Link here can find a way to help him, the two of them may have a chance."

The elder nodded. "That's true, but if Teba wants to do it alone, then he might not let Link help him."

"I'm sure if Link proves his worth," Jaysi said, "which I doubt would be difficult, considering he is probably a descendant of the Champion Link, then he would probably be more than willing."

The elder fell silent for a few moments, frowning in thought. "But if Link meets him by foot, it'll take at least a day to get there."

"I can take him. It'll only take a minute or so by flight." Jaysi turned to Link. "But wearing what he is now, he might get frostbite before he can be of any help to Teba. It's a wonder how he got here without proper clothing, with the warmer route being cut off by guardians."

Link shuffled his feet shyly, avoiding the soldier's gaze. Both Rito watched him, both in thought.

"I would think we can lend him something," the elder finally said. "Don't we have any Hylian clothes?"

"Not anything like armor, though."

"Then give it to him. He's helping us, after all."

Jaysi rushed out of the hut. In less than a minute, he returned carrying a shirt and pair of pants.

"Sorry we couldn't get anything better," the soldier said as he handed the clothes to Link. "But either way if you were cold on the way here, it shouldn't be as bad on the way back."

Link nodded as he took them. "Thanks. Can you, uh...turn your head for a few seconds?"

For a few moments, the Rito seemed confused. However, upon realizing why, they looked away, allowing Link to change clothes as quickly as possible. Link sat his Champion's shirt and pants down near the elder.

"Okay, you all set?" Jaysi asked. Link hesitated, well aware that Ghirahim was going to come back at some point. However, after figuring he could guess where he went, Link nodded. "Alright, then let's go."

Jaysi led him to a ledge that he called Revali's Landing. For a moment, Link couldn't help but pause, for it most certainly struck him as familiar.

All at once, he could remember the Rito Champion, Revali. He could remember how the Rito Champion's movements had been almost graceful. His face held a certain sharpness that marked him as someone not to be messed with. He was intelligent, probably more so than Link, and had learned to control Medoh almost as if it were second nature. But he was jealous, only because Link had held the Master Sword and because of that he hadn't been the center of attention.

"You okay over there, Link?"

He shook his head at the unpleasant memories. "I'm fine. We should go."

To get to the flight range as quickly as possible, Link had to hold on to Jaysi like he was riding piggyback, except if he let go he would fall to his death. He could tell it was difficult for the soldier to fly with Link on his back, however, and he landed almost as soon as he reached the mountain on which the flight range sat. Link hopped off, apologizing for having him do that.

"No, it's fine," Jaysi said, out of breath. "I'm just glad you're helping us. Follow the trail up there and you should get to the flight range. I'll wait here for a bit in case Teba's not there."

"Thanks," Link said, before he turned and began toward the flight range. To make the trail, snow had been pushed aside to reveal the soggy black earth beneath. Link only followed this trail for a few minutes before he saw a platform overlooking a small lake. Sitting on the end of this platform was a tall, burly Rito with long, white feathers. As Link approached, he turned to reveal dark green eyes surrounded by black; it looked almost like eyeliner..

"What do you want?" the Rito asked.

I love Medoh, so Link gets to do it first. I'm gonna try to give the Rito and such more characterization since they didn't get nearly enough in the game. (which sucks because Teba is my fave ,,)


	4. Wing It

This took me a bit longer than usual. It's still terrible haha

/\\\\\

 _What do you want?" the Rito asked._

With the wind sweeping the snow this way and that, it was surprising to see _anyone_ out here. A small fire sat nearby, but despite that the Rito's eyes bore into his, setting in a deep chill that no fire could stave off.

"Are you Teba?" he asked.

For a moment, the Rito was silent, his gaze remaining hard as a rock. It was a long time before he spoke. "Yes, I am. Who are you?"

Link would have breathed a sigh of relief had it not been for Teba's cold gaze. It seemed to be full of contempt, and though it was not directed at the Hylian before him, it still unnerved him.

"I'm Link. I was wanting to help you bring down Medoh. I think I can calm it down."

Again, Teba fell silent, watching Link's every move, every facial expression, listening to every sound that came from him. Then he turned back to the platform overlooking the lake, toying with something in his hands. When Link glanced over his shoulder he found that it was a bow. "Elder Kaneli put you up to this, didn't he?" Teba asked, the annoyance in his voice prominent.

"I told him I wanted to help. He said I could probably calm it down with my Sheikah Slate if I can just get on board."

"Why can't you just give it to me and let me do it?" Teba asked, turning to send Link a fierce glare. "You're a Hylian. You'll only hold me back."

Link fell silent, lips pursed. Perhaps he was right about that; it wasn't as if Link could fly. Teba or someone else would have to carry him.

"Scram. I'll take on Medoh myself."

"But you'll get shot down," Link protested. "Please, just let me help. I _need_ to get up there."

"No, dammit! Eventually, that thing will start attacking everything in sight! It killed nearly a whole damn unit! What do you think will happen when it attacks the village? What do you think will happen when it attacks my home? I don't have time to drag you up there!"

Link backed up a step when Teba shot to his feet, rounding on him. His muscles tensed as he became increasingly certain that he was about to attack him.

 _Jaysi said that this was gonna be easy. He's a shitty liar._

"I know all of that," Link said, struggling to keep his cool. "That's why I want to help. Just trust me. Please."

Teba inhaled deeply, and when he exhaled his breath came out as a white mist. "How do I even know you're worth anything? That tablet doesn't mean crap."

"I...I have some experience in fighting..."

"You don't sound so sure of yourself, kiddo."

Suddenly, Link's temper flared. He _had_ to get up there. "Maybe I'm not. But you may as well throw me in that fucking lake if you think I'm going to leave you here to try and take on Medoh by yourself when I _know_ you can't. _You_ probably know you can't either!"

It only took Teba a few seconds to sense the change in mood. When he did, his expression softened.

"Alright, fine. I'll consider it. You say you need to get up on Medoh?"

"I think that's all I have to do. I can figure something out once I'm up there."

Teba rubbed his forehead and sighed. "Okay...I'll get you up there, but it has turrets protecting it. You'll have to cover me. Think you can use a bow?"

 _I fucking_ _h_ _ope I can._ "I might be a bit rusty." From what Ghirahim said once after they cleared a monster camp, most of his basic skill with a sword had come naturally, although it seemed he forgotten skills that set him apart from other people. Hopefully he'd done archery in the past.

Teba frowned deeply, only making Link more nervous than he already was. "Okay...I guess that's fine. I'll carry you up there. Here." He held out the bow, which Link reluctantly took. It was large, coming up to about his stomach, then gave him a quiver. Inside it were strange arrows with rounded tips. It was obvious they were not made for piercing.

"Bomb arrows," he said. "Supposed to be mine, but you can have it. There's only about twenty, so use them sparingly. Now get on and hang on."

Link took it and thanked him as he attached the quiver to his own belt, then he grabbed Teba's shoulders and clutched them with a death grip. Teba adjusted his legs so that he could wrap them around his torso, then with a flap of his large wings, they took off, soaring straight for the Divine Beast.

As they climbed higher and higher, the world stretched out below them, beautiful yet at the same time promising death should they fall. Overhead, it seemed as if a painter had painted the sky with orange, blue, and purple clouds. And in the distance, the sun began to near the horizon.

The Divine Beast looked like something out of a dream, unlike anything they had seen before. It was a wonder how the ancient people created it, for it seemed so far ahead of even Link's time. But it was created then thousand years before. How had all that technology gotten lost?

He could almost imagine a war between demons and people, a war that devastated the entire world and set them back several thousand years. A war that forced them to flee from the land itself.

"Get ready!" Teba yelled. The wind was beginning to pick up and the temperature continued to drop as they climbed higher, high enough to fly over Medoh. "There's only four turrets; one on each wing and one on the back and front. Focus on the wings and I can probably dodge the other two. I'll circle around so you can at least get those. When I say to, hold on!"

Link hesitantly let go of Teba with his hands, tightening his legs around the Rito warrior's torso. As he reached for the bow on his back, Medoh began to glow a bright red, and Link could see a red beam not unlike the one from the robot in the temple. Because of this laser, he quickly found the turret on the left wing.

As he had hoped, when he pulled the arrow back on the string and took to aim, it felt almost natural, like he was made to hold the bow and arrow in his hands. He could almost imagine how skilled he had been in the past when he let the arrow fly and it hit its mark. The turret exploded in a shower of debris and metal.

Teba let out a loud, relieved laugh.

Link said nothing, too focused on destroying the turrets before they destroyed him and not falling to his death. It was unlikely that anyone could rescue him up here.

He set his sights on the right one, and quickly destroyed that one.

Both the turrets on the back and front were aiming at them now. Except now Link was no longer their focus; it was Teba. It seemed that they figured out that killing Teba would mean killing both of them.

"THE TURRETS!" Link yelled, his eyes glued to them. He notched an arrow, hoping to destroy at least one before they fired, but he was too late. He saw the bright blue beam shoot toward them at the speed of light, though in his perspective it was painfully slow, yet impossible to avoid. Teba saw it too, and his face contorted with horror and realization. Link didn't need to be told to hold on as he swept up in an attempt to escape.

Neither of them hardly knew what happened, even when Teba let out a scream of pain and used the last of his strength to dive toward the Divine Beast.

For a few moments, all Link knew was the blackness of the murky water and someone—a male—was it Ghirahim?-telling him to wake the _fuck_ up.

"Hey! Hey! Link!" Teba called next to him. "Are you alright? Dammit! Say something!"

Link let out a groan. His head pounded as he opened his eyes. Thankfully, the sky was clouded and quickly growing dark. Had the sun been out, he probably would have been blinded. He turned his head slightly to look at Teba, and would have cringed at the sight if he wasn't dazed. Half of the Rito's white feathers had been scorched a smoking black, and his left wing made it obvious he wasn't going to be flying anytime soon.

"Are you alright?" Link said as he pushed himself up. His entire body protested at the effort.  
"Not any worse than you. Looks like I won't be at the flight range for a while..."

 _If you can even get back to Rito Village,_ Link thought. He didn't voice it.

Avoiding the Rito's gaze, he looked around to find that they were, indeed, on Vah Medoh. Several rows of pillars stood, but other than that there was hardly anything that could be called cover. Nearby there was a trap door that lead to the inside of the Beast. His bomb arrows and bow had been scattered about. He rushed to pick these up as Teba struggled to his feet.

"Well, you're on Medoh," Teba said. "What now?"

Link's answer went unheard as Medoh let out a loud screech and banked right, hard. For a few moments, Link was pressed up against the side of the Divine Beast. But then he began to slide down, down toward the ground hundreds of feet below, Teba going with him.

Letting out a breathless gasp, Link latched onto a pillar, then grabbed Teba's armor, the only part he could reach. His entire body protested at the move, but adrenaline kept him going.

"We need to find a way inside!" Teba said, just before Medoh abruptly twisted to the left. Because of its size and weight, it was thankfully slow. Somehow, it knew the two were still on it and still alive.

Link turned his gaze to the hole a few feet away.

Breathing heavily, Link practically dragged Teba toward this hole and dropped inside.

The beast screeched again, as if to change direction, but it did no such thing. Instead, it straightened itself out and fell quiet. Either it thought they were gone or it knew they had gone inside.

Inside, a strange, black and pink aura rose from the ground, vanishing as more appeared. Overhead was a strange goo. Poking out of it was a large, dark eye that had its unblinking gaze trained on him.  
"What _is_ that stuff?" he asked.

"We call it Calamity Goo," Teba said, looking up at the eye. "Kill that eye. It'll destroy it." He didn't seem particularly alarmed, as if such things were normal to him. Meanwhile, Link's heart pounded; he couldn't help but wonder who or what could be watching them through that eye.

Link pulled out the bow and one of his few bomb arrows and shot it. A few feet away, there were more of these eyes. Link destroyed them too.

He hoped he would have enough bomb arrows in case they ran into anything.  
"What do they even do?" he asked as he turned back to Teba.

"We aren't sure about the eyes, but I _know_ someone is watching us through them. But as far as the goo...you can't touch it or it'll kill you. The effect isn't instant, but sometimes it only takes seconds to kill someone. And this stuff that's in the air...its slowly killing us too. Just not nearly as fast. I already feel a little weak." Teba frowned. "Be quick."

Link nodded, taking a quick glance around the inside of the Beast. It appeared to have once served as a living area, or at least somewhere for passengers to stay. There were chairs, even tables and old freezers.

Impa had said these things were ten thousand years old and had been dug up from underground. Link found that difficult to believe. It felt more like he had stepped into a futuristic dystopian world.

A few feet away, toward the front of the Divine Beast, were four large windows that provided a spectacular view of the world below. In front of it was a guidance stone surrounded by Calamity Goo. Another eye poked out from it, although it was closed.

Link cautiously stepped toward this eye; if someone was really watching him through it, he doubted it was anyone that would hesitate to kill him.

As he drew near, the eye opened, revealing its black sclera and orange irises. It stared intently, but when Link met its gaze he felt the hatred of thousands of years rush into him, hatred that was directed toward _him_ specifically, the one chosen by the Master Sword.

Just barely, he managed to tear his own eyes away from the black one and stabbed it with his sword. When the goo disappeared, he scanned the Sheikah Slate on the guidance stone.

His head swam. His hands felt clammy. He trembled. _Goddesses, that thing fucking_ hated _me._

He glanced at the screen, noticing several buttons labeled with commands. Some were blue, like the Sheikah Slate, but others were distorted and purple, like the Calamity Goo and almost everything else that had threatened him so far.

 _All of this is Ganon. All of it. Probably the eyes, too, now that I think about it. That was him watching me._

He pulled himself out of his thoughts and turned toward Teba, who stood with his unhurt wing against the wall. "I have a little control of this thing. It should be safe, at least for us. I need to go back out."

"I'm going with you. It's not safe for either of us to be alone in here."

 _Especially not you._

Link put an arm around his shoulder to help him walk.  
Around the side of the beast was a doorway and a set of stairs that led to the top. The two climbed up to the top, finding themselves under a sparkling night sky and a bright moon.

The control unit continued to glow a bright orange.

"Stay here," Link said. "I'll only be a second."

However, as he approached it to find a way to take back control of the Divine Beast, he knew he had lied. A thick, dark cloud burst into existence and surrounded the strange, glowing unit. Behind him, he heard the gurgle of Calamity Goo and the whir of a computer starting up.

Reluctantly, he turned around to face his new plight.

Before him was a robot not quite unlike the turrets and the rest of the Beast. From it came a strong, swirling wind that forced Link to shield his face as it threw debris and metal at him.

"Oh, _shit!_ " Teba yelled, but he went unnoticed by the robot. It had trained its single, glowing blue eye on Link, and the Hylian didn't doubt that it knew precisely who he was.

 _If you can, always go for the eye._ It was the only thing Link could think of that could help him.

Link pulled the bow off his back and grabbed a bomb arrow from the quiver.

The monster dove toward him, glowing orange sword held high. Link let out a yelp and jumped out of the way, narrowly avoiding being cleaved in two. He had to duck as the robot made a second attempt to slice through him. He could feel the heat of the blade scorching the back of his head—if it even touched him with it it wouldn't be pretty.

He knew almost immediately that this was going to be difficult.

It lifted its other arm as it began to glow blue. It was the same color as the robot's eye in the temple. By the time it shot small, glowing and undoubtedly hot beams at him Link had dove behind the control unit. It was careful not to shoot i

It let out a growl behind him, letting Link know he didn't have long to cower.

Link, breathing as slowly as he could while in the midst of a battle it seemed he was losing, held the bow with a death grip. He readied the bomb arrow he'd pulled out before and prayed to the Golden Three that he would be able to aim properly with such shaky hands.

Just as the thing let out a strange roar, Link stepped out, bow drew back. As soon as he was sure the bomb arrow would hit, he let loose.

With a boom, the arrow exploded. The robot let out a distorted screech, throwing up its strange metallic arms in an effort to protect itself. For a few moments, its glowing blade flickered.

When the smoke cleared, Link could see that the arrow had taken out most of the armor in its torso, revealing the Calamity Goo beneath.

He'd hurt it. Link had no time to celebrate the fact, for it let out another screech, this one enraged. It lunged toward him, swinging its sword wildly.

At first he'd ran beside the control unit again, but too quickly it came to kill him. Unable to think of anything else to do, Link ran. He had to be thankful that there was enough room on top of Medoh.

He learned how hot the flame truly was when it brushed ever so slightly against the back of his neck. It felt as if his skin was _melting_ , and the pain was blinding. Tears came to his eyes as he bit back a scream.

He had to retaliate, but how? If he turned back the thing would melt his face off.

Link ducked behind a pillar, breathless and exhausted. He couldn't run forever. He had nowhere to hide, either. Nowhere to think of a plan.

"Link! Throw me that thing!"

Link looked up at Teba, who had limped out in the open. His white feathers made him almost impossible to miss, especially when he held up his single uninjured wing.

The robot stopped, one of its metal claws clinging to the pillar behind which Link cowered. For now, it did not bother chasing him.

Link quickly shook his head, to which Teba replied, "Trust me! I know what I'm doing!"

 _Please tell me he's telling the truth,_ Link thought as he pulled the Sheikah Slate from his belt. At last, the robot acknowledged him again. As he hurled the Sheikah Slate as hard as he could, the robot lunged toward him, ready to kill him.

"HEY!" Teba howled. "OVER HERE!"

The robot looked up, its eye training on the Sheikah Slate in his hand.

The robot screeched and lunged toward the Rito, Link forgotten.

Link's heart pounded as he jumped to his feet with what was left of his strength. He pulled out the bow and snatched one of his two remaining bomb arrows. He shot, hoping with every fiber of his being that he would not miss.

He didn't.

The robot rounded on him once more as Link pulled out his last bomb arrow, certain he was praying more than he ever had before. It ran toward him, its damaged parts whining in protest, as Link drew back the arrow, aiming for the eye, and let go.

The scream it let out was inhuman and piercing; even the deafening boom of the bomb exploding could not drown it out. Its metal plating went hurtling through the air as it shattered, Calamity Goo flying everywhere.

Then the Goo disappeared, leaving nothing to show it had ever been there.

Teba, having fallen, sat on the ground, breathing heavily. He still clutched the Sheikah Slate tightly.

"Thanks," Link breathed as he stumbled toward him, hungry, sleepy, and dizzy. Already the adrenaline was wearing off.

"I can say the same to you," Teba replied as he handed the slate back to him. He struggled to his feet, holding on to Link for support. "Honestly didn't expect you to react that fast."

Link glanced down at his torso, noticing a new patch of black feathers accompanied by dark blood. Had be been any later, had he missed, the wound could have been a lot worse. Teba could have been dead by now.

"It's a good thing I did," he said, mostly to himself. "Let's scan this thing and get out of here."

As he said this, the hairs on the back of his neck stood up. He felt as if he were being watched, but when he glanced around he saw no eyeballs poking out of Calamity Goo.

Teba nodded, following as he headed toward the guidance stone and pressed the Sheikah Slate against it. The eye flashed, prompting Link to remove it."

"Finally. You came."

Link whipped around to find an ethereal figure with a green glow. As it took shape, Link recognized him almost immediately. Teba must have, too, for his beak fell open.

The Rito Champion stood before him, semitransparent and distorted, but sure enough there.

"Honestly, though...why do you look so _young?_ "Judging by the look on his face, Link didn't need to explain. Seeing him made Link feel as if Revali could just stay here on the Beast and do whatever he did rather than move on to whatever afterlife lay beyond.

Seemingly used to Link's silence, he shrugged it off and continued. "I'll land Medoh so you can get off, but as much as I want to see you kick Ganon to the sun, I can't stay here. You know why."

With that said, he faded out of existence as Vah Medoh let out a piercing cry to announce its next move.

Link and Teba climbed inside as the Divine Beast headed toward Rito Village, where it landed at the top of the rock on which it stood. For a few terrifying moments, Link thought the rock would topple over and kill nearly everyone near by, but it held. Barely.

As Link helped Teba out of the Divine Beast, he swore he heard the words, _Good luck sealing the darkness._ Teba winced, but otherwise he was silent; he could not get the sight of _Revali_ out of his head, especially the fact that he had recognized Link and called him by his name. It was just so... _bizarre._

Ghirahim stood at the bottom, arms crossed as if he had been waiting. He did not spare a glance at the Divine Beast, as if it were a casual thing to him. Or perhaps it just wasn't the most important thing at the moment.

"Now, was that so hard?" he said with a grin as Link looked up at him. Although at any other time he wouldn't have minded it, Link found it infuriating.

"Both of us nearly died," Link replied, annoyance lacing his voice. He just wanted to lay down and relax for a bit, but even then that might be so relaxing. His neck continued to throb painfully.

Ghirahim shrugged, still grinning. "Yes, maybe, but that's unavoidable. I was only gone for about an hour. In that time you managed to free it."

"Sure, okay, now _help us get down._ "


	5. Ambush

I cant tell if im just more conscious of my mistakes or if this story is actually terrible but im suffering over here

I should not have went like 3 months without writing anything. Its killing me

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"That was Revali, wasn't it?"

Link, who had been sitting next to Teba's bed, had been drifting off to sleep for the past five minutes. Teba had been bandaged and given a potion, although it didn't seem to affect the wound much. Link quickly found out he had a wife and child when the two threw a fit upon seeing Teba injured.

Now, however, the Rito's words startled him out of his dreamy state.

"Hm?" he said, forcing his eyes open. He was especially exhausted after having to chase Ghirahim away since the demon had refused to leave him in peace. While he'd been almost like Link's voice of reason thus far, he knew how to be obnoxious.

"On Medoh. That was Revali, wasn't it?"

"Yeah," Link replied absentmindedly. This seemed to be going nowhere.

"He knew you by name," Teba said, averting his eyes. "But that's impossible. Hylians usually don't even live a hundred years. Most of us Rito don't either."

Link shrugged as if it were nothing. Teba continued. "There was a Hylian Champion, but all the Champions died in the Great Calamity. Unless...unless something happened and he was revived." For a few moments, Teba fell into a heavy silence that neither of them were eager to break. It was a long time before he finally spoke, and even then his words were slow and hesitant. "Were you…him?"

Link shrugged, now avoiding his gaze to stare at one of the tapestries hanging from the structure. "I've been told I am, so I would assume yeah. But I don't remember anything."

"But why would you be revived?" Teba asked. "Aside from maybe the Divine Beasts, there isn't a problem now. Nothing we can fix."

"That's why I was revived. The problem with the Divine Beasts...the monsters….that's all caused by the same thing that caused the Great Calamity or whatever it is. I have to find a way to destroy the source." Link turned his head to look at the wall, brows furrowed. "I just don't know if I can. I failed before..."

Teba pushed himself up, wincing as he did so. "I'll help. When I recover from this, you can count on that."

"But-"

"You barely took that thing down, and that was with my help. You'll probably get more skilled over time, but if you're really gonna do something like that, you're not doing it alone."

"But you have a family. I don't want anything to happen to you."

"This is for them, too. If you're right about the source, then we need to destroy it before something like the Calamity happens again."

Link didn't respond, continuing to stare at the wall.

It felt like it was going to be himself and the Champions all over again.

\\\\\

"You're awfully quiet," Ghirahim noted. It had been a couple of hours since they left, this time heading toward the desert. Link had finally decided to use the Sheikah Slate for something other than guidance stones and discovered there was a Divine Beast nearby in the desert. Ghirahim seemed fine with it, so he agreed to go with him.

Link still didn't like him very much, as he was bitter when he was in a bad mood and thoroughly enjoyed doing everything he could to bother Link when he was in a good mood, but at the same time it felt empty without him. He'd been the first person to help him, and for that Link found himself unable to _actually_ dislike him.

Though still in the distance, the Gerudo highlands got closer with every step they took. A canyon ripped right through the middle of them, and Ghirahim claimed that that canyon led directly to the desert.

Link kept his gaze down, his eyes glued to Chocolate's white mane. He couldn't get Teba's words out of his head. _I'll help. When I recover from this, you can count on that._ He couldn't help but feel horrified at the thought of getting anyone but himself and Ghirahim involved; it wasn't their job. And in the end it could cost them all of their lives.

"Hello? Are you even listening?"

Link looked up without a word.

"You're being quiet."

Link turned his head slightly to look at him out of the corner of his eye. "So?"

"You normally have something to say. Questions to ask. Lately, at least."

Link raised his head, interest caught. "What do you mean by lately?"  
Ghirahim shrugged casually. "You weren't like that before."

"What was I like before?"

"Quiet. Most of the time you just...shut up and did your job."

 _Finally, he answers one of my questions._ Link fought back a smile, forcing his expression to remain neutral. He hoped to keep this trend going. "Did you work with me?"

"No. The princess hated every fiber of my being and I wouldn't doubt that she still does."

"Then how did we know each other?"

Ghirahim only glared at him out of the corner of his eye, his dark eyes threatening. "I told you that wasn't important."

Link gripped the reigns tightly, any urge to smile disappearing in an instant. "But I want to know. What's wrong with telling me?"

Ghirahim's eyes had narrowed, making him resemble the demon he was. "Because it doesn't matter. There's no _use._ "

Chocolate, not at all enjoying the pair's quickly rising voices, snorted with displeasure. Neither of them seemed to notice.

"There's no use in knowing who I was? Or who I was friends with? Anything?"

"No, there isn't!"

Link felt a headache coming on, his frustration rising as he found that he could not understand this logic no matter how hard he tried. "Why?"

Ghirahim fell deathly silent, white lips pressed tightly together, his gaze everywhere but on Link. When he at last looked at him, and spoke, Link could discern no specific emotion from him. "Because you'll never be the same."

The words were few, but they carried a heavy weight. Link's temper died and he found he couldn't even look at Ghirahim anymore. The words alone were out of character enough to realize there was something beyond him just saying such things weren't important.

Yes, now it made sense why he would avoid such a subject. But it still angered Link to think that he was one of the only people he'd once known that was still alive, and he refused to speak about anything before the past couple of weeks.

When Link glanced back at Ghirahim once more, he found that the demon was gone.

Heaving a sigh, he kept going.

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All around Link were tall, deep rock walls. It felt like the twin peaks all over again, except this time it was more claustrophobic. When he looked up, all he could see was narrow strips of orange sky. Days had passed since Ghirahim disappeared, although he did occasionally spot the demon watching him from a distance.

 _He probably hates me now,_ Link thought bitterly at some point. Although logic told him that was not the case, he could think of no other explanation for Ghirahim leaving so abruptly and for so long. He seemed to be the type to get over something like their conversation in a matter of an hour or so.

As Link continued on, he occasionally he passed under a decaying archway. And, at one time, several large boulders had broken away from the steep cliffs and began falling toward them. Link urged Chocolate into a brief gallop, narrowly saving both horse and rider.

Eventually, the canyon opened up into a valley. At one point, Link was sure he saw the remains of a city built entirely out of the sides of the rocky mountain.

However, by the time night had fallen and a deep chill had set in the dry air, he could see the end. The canyon began to open up gradually, and the steep rock walls began to fall away until finally he saw the sand dunes and ruins of ancient temples. At the edge of the canyon, embedded into the rocks, was another stable run by Gerudo. Several stood around the building, each of them equipped with long spears, shooting Link glares as he slid off of Chocolate. Link, tired, hungry, and ill, was quick to return them.

The woman behind the counter was the only one who offered a smile as he handed her the Rupees for her to take Chocolate into their care and for him to spend the night.

"I hope you are not going to Gerudo Town," she said as Link turned his back to her. It was difficult to understand her through her thick accent. "They only accept vai...or women, if you do not know. The desert has been very dangerous lately with the Yiga Clan becoming more and more active. It's not uncommon for a traveler to simply disappear. Be careful."

Momentarily, Link wondered why there would be a town that only allowed women within its limits. However, as he headed toward a stable bed, he pondered it no more. Moments after he slumped into the bed, he allowed sleep to embrace him, unaware of the narrowed eyes of a young man glued to his back. From the man's bag a sickle poked out, shiny and clean as it waited patiently for its owner to use it.

The next morning left Link in a dull mood. He had to grab all his food that he'd left on chocolate, for he could not bring him to the desert. As he headed out, however, one of the guards stopped him.

"Be careful," she said, her accent not nearly as thick as the woman from the night before. Link resisted the urge to roll his eyes; she was _at least_ two feet taller than him, with huge muscles and a large spear identical to the ones he'd seen last night. "I've heard of travelers being captured and never seen again. There are also those that have joined the Yiga Clan...but I suspect it was not willingly. My own friend tried to kill me because of them. Be wary of everyone, and don't even try to go to Gerudo Town."  
Although he was still somewhat intimidated, Link spoke up. "I was wanting to help with the Divine...Divine Beast Naboris."

The guard was silent for a full minute, her brows furrowed. "You will have to talk with the chief, but I am not sure she will let you. You are a voe, and I'm certain there will be plenty of people that will not agree with a voe calming Naboris. And especially with the Yiga Clan quickly growing in numbers, I don't believe that they would even trust you."

Link felt his stomach drop at those words. He had no idea what Naboris looked like, but he was sure it would be difficult to find a way onto the Divine Beast by himself.

 _I'll find a way,_ Link thought, though the words sounded like a lie.

Thanking the woman for her advice, he bought food and water for the trip before he headed out to the open desert, where the sand was blistering hot and the sun beat relentlessly on his already burned neck. Somehow, despite the healing potions Link had taken before leaving, the burn refused to heal. He was tempted to ask Ghirahim about it, but he'd long learned not to complain about anything—it was something the demon never had tolerance for.

As he continued on, struggling to move his tired feet as quickly as possible through the thick sand, he noticed a large sandstorm to the east. As he watched it, he occasionally heard the roar and stomp of feet, which only kicked up more sand. Occasionally he would see a robotic head poke out of the storm it had created to look for any intruders that dared to go near. Once, Link swore he saw it turn its gigantic head toward him, as if pondering whether or not to destroy him, before it disappeared again.

So that was Naboris. As expected, it was huge.

As Link continued on and on through the seemingly endless desert, his limbs became heavier and heavier. By the time he came across any sign of another person, he could barely pull his feet out of the sand. Yet, the sun continued to beat at him, trying to drive him to his knees and it showed no sign of stopping anytime soon.

A few yards ahead of him, someone had set up a small camp that could barely be referred to as such. There was firewood, but the fire had been put out for the day. A bag sat next to the tent, now half empty but still featuring water and food. A person lay in the shade of their makeshift tent, which was made simply out of cloth, a stick, and a rock, seemingly asleep. However, as Link got closer, they groaned and sat up with a yawn.

He could see that it was an elderly woman. Her skin was deeply tanned from the harsh desert sun; her eyes were a bright, emerald green that held his gaze the moment he met them.

 _What's a woman this old doing out in the middle of the desert?_

"Ah, it's a traveler," she said, voice hoarse. "It's been days."

"Are you alright, ma'am?" Link asked, realizing how dry his own throat was.

"I could ask you the same question." She smiled sweetly, but something in that simple smile seemed too sweet. "Come, young man, sit with me. You must be tired."

Link hesitated, but he sat down beside her. As the coolness of the shade washed over him, he momentarily closed his eyes and let out a small sigh of relief.

For a few moments, the woman was silent, looking at him with that smile of hers. Finally, she spoke. "Young man, what's that thing on your hip?"

Link opened his eyes to look at her. "It's a Sheikah Slate...I think. I'm not really sure what all it does."

"Perhaps it may come in handy," the woman said, her emerald eyes continuing to stare intently at him. "But it's so rare, isn't it? Technology like that...technology that only those that oppose Ganon possess..."

Her face took on a dreamy expression. "Ah, yes, dear Link, if only we had technology like that."

"How did you know-?"

Before he could finish his sentence, a sharp pain erupted in the back of Link's head. He jumped to his feet, unaware of the blood spilling on the back his shirt. As he turned to face his attacker, he saw that the woman was gone, replaced by a masked man in thin armor. The only thing Link could see were his eyes, which were black with yellow irises. The man lunged at him, bloody sickle raised.

" _No one escapes the Eye of the Yiga._ "

 _He remembered clearly the sickle flying toward him, the eyes behind the mask wide with glee. He could remember the certainty that he was going to die, that perhaps the insane amount of luck Ghirahim constantly said he had finally ran out, and in just a few moments' time he would be meeting the Golden Three in the afterlife._

The jarring sense of dejavu caught him off guard.

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Ghirahim slumped against the eroded, stone wall with a sigh. Hyrule Castle was less than a mile away, just a simple walk across the burnt and obliterated remains of Castle Town. His power was stronger here; it was natural, as Ganon held a piece of Demise within him, and that piece was the only reason Ghirahim was still alive.

He knew he loved Link. He had loved him in the past, when he was nothing more than a teenager from the sky, inexperienced and naive. Of course, that incarnation had never seen such feelings; but Ghirahim felt them nonetheless, a love that had formed while he watched him adapt to the harsh realities of the Surface at a pace that could be called frightening. He had loved him a century before, when he shut his doors to the rest of his world, allowing few to see what lay behind his closed lips. Somehow, some way, Link always managed to catch his attention and keep it until the demon couldn't help but love him for it.

Ghirahim ran a hand through his already smooth and nearly flawless hair. It was a wonder how he maintained it.

He still loved Link now. But he hated him at the same time. He reminded him too much of the _past_. The _past_ he was trying to forget, for it no longer mattered. Link had forgotten him, Zelda, _everything_. The effort he put into befriending Link no longer mattered; the delicate balance they had was gone, half of it being replaced by an empty shell who can't even come up with a name better than "Chocolate". None of it mattered because it was already gone.

But every time he looked upon Link;s face, he couldn't stop thinking about it, _longing_ for it to happen again. _Longing_ for the chance to turn back time's wheel and warn them of what would happen, or make sure he actually got there fast enough, _something_ to prevent Link's century-long sleep. It was a problem he couldn't solve by running head-on into it and stabbing it until it went away. In fact, it was a problem he was never supposed to have.

He was never supposed to get himself attached his master's enemy, not in the way he was. He wasn't supposed to get himself attached to _anyone_ the way he was. He was supposed to be enemies with not only Link, but enemies with anyone that would oppose any variation of Demise. He was supposed to be a simple, obedient tool, but yet here he was, assisting Demise's killer in sealing what was left of him without his knowledge and definitely without his consent.

He inhaled deeply, closing his eyes. If he continued to sulk like he was, he would become an incompetent piece of trash. He was sure of that. Even if he had no specific purpose, it was a golden rule to him. Never sulk.

He inhaled deeply, embracing the cold air. Behind him, just outside the decaying building he'd hidden in, the metal feet of a guardian clicked as it walked past. He could hear even more of these guardians on all sides of him, but none of them were aware he was there.

Lately it was difficult to maintain that golden rule.


	6. The Eyes of The Yiga

thank u for the reviews this story is crap im glad there are ppl who like it

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The first thing Link was aware of was his splitting headache. He groaned, shifting off his back. As his mind started up once more, he became aware of the dull ache in every part of his body and the fact that most of the weight he carried was missing.

He felt his hip and found that the Sheikah Slate was gone as well. This was enough to persuade him into opening his eyes.

The only light was the weak fire of a torch hanging on the wall nearby, barely illuminating the cell in which he lay. Through the bars, Link could see the eroded remains of ancient statues embedded into the wall, the flickering shadows seeming to bring the statues to life so that they could guard the temple in which they stood. The entire place was made of sandstone, and it featured no windows that allowed in sunlight. Link guessed that he was underground, perhaps in what was once an ancient temple, but now it had been abandoned then taken over again by a new clan, as suggested by the white clothes featuring the upside-down eye that now hung over the statues' faces.

Of course, the Yiga symbol.

He sat up despite his body's protests, the memory of the man with the sickle flickering in the back of his mind.

Behind him, Link heard movement. When he turned his head, he noticed a man sitting behind him, just waking from what was no doubt a very light sleep. At first, he stared at Link with half-lidded eyes, but they widened after a few moments, a slight smile spreading across the man's face.

"You're awake. Thank the Goddess."

His voice caught Link off guard. With his bulging muscles and height, which appeared to be about eight feet tall, he'd thought his voice would be a little lower. However, it had a feminine quality that sounded odd with his appearance, but somehow fit nonetheless.

"Where am I?" Link asked.

"One of the Yiga Clan bases." His eyes flicked up toward the ceiling before settling back on Link. "We're still in the desert though."

Link remembered the Gerudo woman's words to him, though the memory was faint. _Be wary of everyone._

"I'm fucking stupid," Link whispered to himself. Had he been wary of that elderly lady like he was _supposed_ to, would he even be in this situation?

"What's wrong?" the man said, frowning. "Is your head still hurting you? I did what I could to heal it, but I'm weaker than usual and I have next to no experience with healing magic."

"It's fine," Link said, shifting uncomfortably. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see bits of sand trickling down the walls like small streams of water in an ancient cave. "What's your name?"

"Laine," the man replied. "What about you?"

"Link," he replied. "How long have you been here?"

"A couple of weeks, ever since the Yiga clan became more active. I'm honestly surprised that they haven't killed me yet, with how many people they've killed so far." Laine glanced outside the cell. "So far, they've killed nearly every prisoner except for me and you."

Link's stomach dropped. It was only a matter of time before they _did_ kill him. He had to get out. He had to escape.

Link climbed to his feet, the abrupt movement making his head swim. He stumbled toward the bars, gripping them as he peered outside the cell. But how?

"No, wait!" Laine exclaimed, grabbing his arm and yanking back toward the darkness of the cell with surprising strength. Even when Link was in the corner where no light could reach, Laine held his shoulders, as if afraid he would run back. "The eyes out there...they're on the ceiling. If you try to escape, they're going to see. I heard they torture people for trying to escape."

Link turned his gaze to the ceiling. Just as Laine said, among a patch of Calamity Goo was one of the strange eyes. It peered ahead, seemingly unaware of the two people in the cell, but he was sure that wasn't the only eye.

Just as he thought, when Link glanced down both ends of the corridor, he saw more of these eyes perched in random places. Some on the walls, some on ceiling, some even on the floor. In some cases, the Calamity Goo covered the fronts of the cells, allowing no one access to anyone inside.

He could even feel it in the air, sapping at his strength and probably Laine's as well.

He had to get out. Oh goddesses, he had to get out. He didn't have the weeks to spend in here. He had to get out _now._

But what was he to do? There was nothing he could use to pick on the cell's lock and there was no one around aside from Laine. The other cells were empty.

He ran a hand through his hair and retreated to the back of the cell where Laine sat, a frown set deep into his features.

"I need to get out of here," he whispered.

"The only chance you have of escaping is when the guards drag you away," Laine replied. He averted his eyes. "Even then, I don't know if it's possible to overpower them. I've seen some of the stronger people try and still fail."

Link's stomach sunk into the pits of hell. How strong was this Yiga Clan?

And especially considering he was once the hero...how many men would they send should they try to retrieve him?

Link ran a hand through his hair. "I _need_ to get out of here."

This time Laine didn't answer, didn't need to. They both understood that their chances of escaping were low, but they shared a cell, at least for the time being. Should one of them try to escape, the other would help.

It was a bond that they shared as they retreated to the back of the cell once more, just waiting for a Yiga to come and take one, or both, of them away.

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They didn't have to wait long. Within the next hour, the two could hear chattering just down the hall. Link and Laine tensed, their eyes turning to the corridor. Slowly. Link's fingers curled so that they were claw-like and ready to rip through anything that got in their way.

As they got closer, Link noticed that they weren't actually speaking. They sounded as if they were monkeys, simply communicating through screams, inhuman noises, and laughs.

Two men came into view. Each of them wore masks with that upside-down eye. One wore ordinary villager clothes and had a sword larger than Link strapped to his back. The other wore Gerudo armor with nothing but a shoulder plate on his upper torso and red pants. He too had a large sword exactly like the other man.

The Gerudo man had a patch of Calamity Goo and an eye on his chest. The other had the same thing on his arm. Link couldn't tear his gaze from those eyes. His heart pounded in his chest.

They turned to the cell, faces hidden though Link was sure each of them wore a sneer.

He and Laine stood up, no less tense and rigid than when they first heard the two.

The Gerudo man unlocked the cell, pushing the bars aside with a small laugh. "Don't bother struggling, either of you. Riado, get the hero. I'll get the other guy." As if he was bilingual, the man now spoke normal Hylian, though he had a slight accent.

Link watched as the cell slid open excruciatingly slow. The man approached him, hands held out to grab him.

However, as soon as the Gerudo-looking man's hand brushed his arm, Link sprang into action.

His clawed hands ripping off the mask to reveal a face like many others—the face of a warrior. Link continued to claw, earning a scream from the Gerudo as Link's long nails sunk into his eyes. He could only guess the last time he'd actually cut them.

Just as their silent agreement had promised, Laine jumped to his feet, deciding to take care of the villager man. He started by ripping off the mask like Link, as the face was the best place to stun someone. The first thing he could think to do was to throw a punch, too focused on his own survival to cringe at the audible _crack_ that rang upon impact and the man's bloody and crooked nose. The man reached for his sword, but Laine swung his fist once more. The man's head swung sideways and he stumbled back with the impact, but he recovered quickly and swung his own fist. Laine easily avoided it, his training from his days in Gerudo Town coming back to him.

They would get out alive. Either that or they wouldn't get out at all.

Having nearly blinded the Gerudo man, Link bolted, hardly taking two steps before the Gerudo man screamed in pure anger and grabbed him again, his arms locking Link against him.

The eye in the Calamity Goo. It was watching them with its unblinking stare. It knew.

Without thinking, Link grabbed his groin with those claw-like hands of his. The man released him again with a cry of agony.

Link grabbed a torch off the wall and threw it at the man. It was a few moments before the Gerudo became aware of the fire slowly peeling away at his feet. By the time he realized, it was too late. He did what he could to stamp the fire out, doing an energetic dance among the flames before it spread and he screamed hysterically out of agony and terror.

Link turned to Laine only to find that he already had the Yiga slumped against the wall, blood flowing from the back of his head. The man's chest still rose and fell, showing that he was alive. But at least he was unconscious.

As Laine backed up, Link approached the man and pulled the sword off his back. He wouldn't be much use without it. Laine glanced at the burnt remains of the other man, but decided against grabbing his sword. It was probably too hot to touch anyway.

The eye continued to watch them with its unwavering stare. It had most definitely seen the entire thing unfold, and if Laine was right the Yiga would be on their asses soon.

"Where do we go?" Link asked as he swung the sword around his shoulder. It was a bit too big for him, as it was only inches from scraping the floor, but for now it would do. "Do you know?"

"I...I think this way." Laine pointed down the hall, which sloped upward ever so slightly. "I don't know."

"Seems logical," Link replied, starting in that direction. After all, the only way to get to the world above ground was by going up. Laine followed him, his head turning to look over his shoulder every few seconds. For the time being, no one came after them.

At the end of the hall was what looked to be a dining room. At the center was a dining table that looked as if it had recently been used, but on the dining table was nothing but bananas and banana peels.

There were several tunnels, only a few going upward. Now they could hear the murmur of Yiga soldiers far behind, their voices only a distant echo.

The pair hesitated, exchanging glances. They had to choose a way to go eventually; they'd only bought themselves so much time.

The Yiga motivated them, and they quickly chose a tunnel, hoping it would be the way.

This tunnel branched into two. Moving as quickly as possible, they agreed on right. They only walked a few feet before the tunnel opened up into a large, empty cavern.

At least, it lacked Yiga guards and soldiers.

Nearly the entirety of the room was covered in Calamity Goo that churned, creating an eerie purple glow in the dark. Along the walls and even on the floor were people, the goo wrapped around their heads, _embedded_ into their skin, keeping them frozen and their eyes locked wide open. They were completely still; Link would have thought them to be dead had he not heard their breathing. Their eyes stared ahead, unblinking and frozen, staring into the Eyes, the eyes that evoked such hatred. They Eyes turned to look at the pair as soon as they walked in, their hateful gaze piercing his soul. While Link simply felt the burn of their hate, Laine seemed to have snapped into a trance, his entire body going rigid, his expression locked into a wide-eyed stare. It was just like the other people in the room.

 _What the hell is going on in here?_

The eye's gaze pressed on the back of his head, adding to his already splitting headache.

Link turned, pulled out the sword, and threw it at it. The eye squealed before it exploded into black smoke. Seconds later, two people groaned and stirred.

Laine let out a pained gasp behind him, a hand flying up to his head. He looked around, confusion taking over. "What happened?"

"I don't know!" Link replied, running a hand through his hair. "I'm trying to figure that out myself!"

Laine looked around, his lips pursing at the sight of the people embedded into the Calamity Goo. Link could easily see despite the dim lighting that he was much paler than normal. "Are they dead?"

Link shook his head, turning back to the bodies embedded into the Calamity Goo. Teba told him that it sucked the life from you, and Link _had_ felt its effects in Medoh, although it hadn't been the _full_ effects. It was a miracle that they were alive.

 _Teba also said he doesn't know what the eyes do._ Perhaps that was why; their only purpose wasn't to kill. It was to do something else, something horrible.

"Stay back," Link said. "You were in a trance for a second there. I'll kill them."

Link gulped, then turned his gaze to another eye. There were only about five, and thankfully none of them were too high. He easily picked up several stones and threw them. Despite being utterly terrifying, it was rather easy to kill them. Link could only wonder why.

The murmur, at first quiet, grew louder until Link was sure that they could be heard a few rooms away. He furrowed his brow, knowing that they were only safe at the moment because the Yiga couldn't hear them. He opened his mouth, about to attempt to quiet them, when—

" _Hey_!"

A Gerudo woman stood above the rest, mostly standing out because her appearance was different, and she was taller by at least a few inches. She wore her hair in a simple ponytail and lacked the armor most of the other Gerudo had. However, despite this, she resembled a figure of strength, with broad shoulders and muscles like Laine's.

"Quiet! Do you not realize where we are?" the woman said, her voice little more than an aggressive whisper.

The murmur died away almost immediately as everyone turned their attention to her, their eyes half-lidded like zombies. Simply by speaking up she had established herself as a leader, something to cling to in their moment of confusion, and Link knew that she became well aware of this when she shrank ever so slightly, her white lips pursed.

"Come on," she hesitated, but began toward the darkness of the corridor outside the cavern. Her stride was quick and smooth, almost _too_ quick and smooth. "We need to find a way out."

Link jogged to catch up with her, though he would have much preferred to stay around the middle. He was the only one with a weapon. Laine remained close, wary of many of the people they found themselves walking with.

No sound bounced off the stone walls of the hideout. The Yiga were silent once more, leaving their prisoners with nothing but the spirits that walked the halls, darting in and out of view. For a time, no one spoke. And when someone did, it was the Gerudo. She glanced over her shoulder at Link.

"You, the one with the sword," she whispered, catching Link's attention as well as some other people's; those in the back just shushed her. "Aren't you the one who rescued us?"

At first, Link didn't realize she was speaking to him. However, when she slowed down to fall back to his side, he looked up at her. She really was tall; Link only stood to about her chest, and that was standing up straight. He really didn't doubt that she could break his arm with little to no effort.

"Aren't you the one who rescued us?" she asked again.

Link nodded, then quickly motioned toward Laine. "He helped me."

"No I didn't. You're the one who freed them."

Link turned to him and raised a brow. "Yes you did. You're the reason we're here in the first place."

"Still—"

Link shook his head. "You helped."

Several people were watching them now. Their eyes seemed blank, as if the Calamity Goo had taken something other than their lives, and Link couldn't be sure of what went through their heads.

The Gerudo remained silent through the short exchange, seemingly indifferent. She only spoke again once the two fell silent.

"Anyway...I'm Brutela. You two?"

"Link."

"Laine."

There was a moment of silence in which the newly formed trio stared into the darkness. Torches hung along the walls, but the darkness pressed against it with all its might. As they watched the dancing shadows, they could almost imagine a fight between the darkness and the light of the torches, a fight in which darkness was winning.

"It's so quiet," Brutela whispered. "What do you think they are doing?"

Link didn't answer, instead staring into the darkness, waiting for someone to attack. Her words only put him even more on edge. His hands stiffened, ready to grab the sword off his back should something like that happen.

"No idea," Laine whispered. "Maybe they decided we weren't worth it."

 _They wouldn't do that. I'm the one they want, and you're all with me._

Should he even be walking with them? It was most certainly safer for himself, but what about these people?

They went around a bend, and found that all they had to do was walk the rest of the way through the hall and across a small room to reach the outside world once more. Compared to the near-complete darkness they walked in, the sun was blinding.

Within moments, they crossed the threshold between hell and the outside world.

Outside, they found that they were in a valley. Overhead, banners featuring the Yiga symbol hung from the rocky sides of the two mountains, and strange statues of frogs littered the place. It was evident they had spent a long time in this temple, despite leaving the ancient architecture mostly untouched.

Behind him, people ran out of the hideout, overjoyed to find that they escaped. Link, however, stopped, allowing them to go ahead of him. Brutela and Laine didn't seem to notice—he was sure Laine would have been whooping with joy at the simple sight of the sun had he not been so close to the hideout.

There had to be a reason why they hadn't run into any guards beyond the two that had come to drag him away. They were waiting for something—had to be.

Link slowly began to walk again, moving as quickly as possible even in the heat. However, the sky had turned a bright orange, signaling the end of the day. Soon it would be cold. Link wished he hadn't left his gear down in the base, wherever it was, but he doubted there was a way he could actually get it back.

What were they doing down there, anyway? What was the purpose of that room? It had to have something to do with Ganon...

A distinct _pop!_ In the air startled Link from his thoughts. He whirled around to find a Yiga behind him, wearing the normal uniform, except he had a...grander appearance about him. A high collar rose from his uniform and spikes stuck out of his gloves. He had a mask embellished with horns and a grinning mouth. While he did not wear the mask, Link wished he did. A patch of Calamity Goo had embedded itself into his face, distorting it so badly that he no longer appeared human. He wore a body suit like the man that had first attacked him, although his was more embellished with strange designs that seemed to follow no pattern, and it allowed Link to see that he wasn't exactly...fit. In fact, he looked like a joke compared to the other Yiga members he'd seen so far.

But on his hip was Link's Sheikah Slate.

Link tensed as he grabbed the sword off his back. If nothing else, he needed that slate back.

"Do you remember _me,_ Hero?" the man said, his voice oozing with mockery.

Link said nothing, staring at the Yiga in tense silence.

"I suppose not, hm?" Like a predator circling prey, the Yiga began to circle Link, arms crossed, his head resting on his hand. "I suppose it doesn't matter. Ganon has revived me twice in my wait for the chance to finish you off once and for all, and I intend to get rid of you so he doesn't have to revive me again."

Link glanced back, somehow hoping despite all logic that maybe someone had stayed with him. But there was no one. No Ghirahim, no Laine, no Brutela. Just him and Master Kohga.

 _He doesn't look like much,_ Link thought, shifting the sword in his grip. He stifled a grin, though it did still peek through, but ever so slightly. _I can probably take him out easy._

Just like that, the tense rubber band between them snapped. The Yiga lunged toward him, letting out a wild cry. Link easy sidestepped it, whipping around to swing his sword. The Yiga was just as fast as him, easily jumping to avoid it.

He lunged again, fists held out. There were small spikes on his gloves that stuck out of his gloves. Link ducked to avoid a punch in the side of his face, not eager to have half of his head ripped apart. He jumped back to evade another one, now finding it difficult to move quickly in the thick sand. Link jumped back, ducked, twisted, did whatever he could to avoid the spiked fists, while Master Kohga lunged toward him almost recklessly. To a bystander, Link probably looked like an idiot. But the Yiga was surprisingly fast; he could only imagine what an opponent he would have been had he put more time into exercise and training.

Finally, the Yiga had him cornered. Link realized what he'd been trying to do too late. Without thinking, he lunged toward him, swinging the large sword as quickly as he could. At first, the Yiga jumped back, easily avoiding these attempts on his life, but he then jumped forward without warning, the spikes in his gloves sinking into Link's stomach as deep as they would go.

Link let out a choked cry, dropping his sword as he swung his own fist at the man. The man simply disappeared, and moments later the same fist sunk into his side. Link whipped around, but he was gone again.

Before Link could turn again, the man grabbed his ponytail and yanked him back.

The feel of the sharp edge of a cold dagger against his throat made Link's entire body seize up, though he still trembled with pain.

"What's wrong, _hero_?" the man asked, his sneer audible. "You came down so easily..."

Link stomped on his foot. As the Yiga let out a cry he broke free, twisting on his heel to tackle the Yiga, his hands squeezing his thick neck.

 _I can't die,_ Link thought desperately. _I can't die I can't die I can't die-_

He was hardly aware when the Yiga stabbed him, sliced his side, did everything he could to try to get the smaller man off of him. He only knew that he was struggling, and Link couldn't help but wonder if he, too, had his own duties to fulfill like Link, and that if he didn't fulfill them he would be failing everyone he'd ever known.

But these duties clashed, and as a result one of them had to die.

Link squeezed as hard as he could with his decaying strength, until finally the leader of the Yiga, the man through which Ganon directly communicated with his little army, went limp. Link lingered over him for a few moments, hands still clamped around his neck, until finally he forced himself to let go. He snatched the Sheikah Slate from the man's hip and stood up.

As Link's instincts, panic, and fear wore off, he became aware of the pain and blood collecting in his side, soaking his shirt and, when he placed his hand over it, his fingers. He stumbled to his feet, staggering along.

He was alone. Completely alone.

He'd been stabbed several times, and found that his efforts to stay alive had really brought him closer to death.

 _Fucking pathetic,_ Link thought bitterly as he pressed his hand to his side, trying to stifle the flow of blood that was quickly soaking his pants. Now all he could feel were tears pricking at his eyes, tears that desperately wanted to convey his frustration and fear and self-hatred. He did nothing to stop them, and as he started toward the desert, hoping that he would run into someone else that could help him he let them fall, heedless of them.

All the while, he realized that the simple words, "What's wrong, hero?" from the Yiga had stung, and they stung deep. They reminded him of how incompetent he was, especially to find himself in this situation after fighting a guy with a beer gut.

How would he handle himself against Ganon?

Link stopped at the edge of the valley, dropping down in the sand. The sun had sank below the horizon, setting in a chill that only affected his skin. But Link knew that the desert wasn't the only reason he was cold.

In the sand, a deep red blotch appeared around him. This motivated him to get up; he was certain he was going to die at this point, but he had strength again. Maybe...if the goddesses were on his side…

He continued on, head lowered, hand pressed to his side. Nothing passed through his mind; everything was a blur that got darker by the second. He did not notice someone next to him, trying to get his attention, until he staggered and they grabbed his wrist.

He looked up to find Ghirahim next to him, expression strangely relaxed. He saw the demon's lips move, though he discerned no sense from the noises that came from his mouth.

Gradually, the world went dark.

\\\\\

" _Can you stop being so reckless?" Ghirahim asked, arms crossed. "The Hylia incarnate is going to notice how utterly fucked your sleeping schedule is eventually."_

 _Link stood a couple of feet away, idly swinging his sword at a dummy. It was well after midnight, but he was still in the training room, as restless as ever. Ghirahim stood nearby, leaning against a wall. If anyone knew he was there, he would surely be kicked out._

" _A man's sleeping schedule is only as healthy as his state of mind," Link replied. "And my state of mind is utterly fucked."_

 _Ghirahim sighed and rolled his eyes. "You really_ are _just a pile of birdshit."_

" _Fuck you."_

 _\\\\\_

fun fact: I finished this well after midnight. It's 1AM. I'm suffering.

Also, since you know I'm kinda adding changes as I go along I may go back at some point and change things that avoid plot holes. Most changes to the story so far shouldn't be so major that you have to reread it so

anyway, hope you have a good day !


	7. Pretty In Pink

Hi I got paranoid that Ghirahim wasn't in character so I'm playing Skyward Sword for the eighth time.

I wanna replay Breath of the Wild but uh...no.

\\\\\

For a second time, Link awoke to pain. His neck seared, eliciting a gasp from him. Quickly, the hand withdrew, but soon touched it again, sending more searing pain shooting up Link's neck. The memory of the brief conversation between himself and Ghirahim seemed insignificant at the moment, and was forgotten for the time being.

"Stop it," he groaned, moving to push the hand away. His movements were sluggish, and the hand retreated again before he could touch it.

"Where did you get that?"

Link cracked open his eyes to find that he was in a hotel built out of sandstone. Small lamps hung on the walls, giving the building the same orange glow as a fire. Outside, it was well into the night. In the distance, Vah Naboris let out a roar and stomped on. He could hear the distant crack of lightning though there were no clouds.

Ghirahim sat on the edge of his bed, gloved hand lingering suspiciously in the air.

"What?" Link asked.

"That burn on your neck."

Link recalled the burn he'd gotten that refused to heal and averted his eyes. "On Medoh. This thing was trying to kill us, and it burned me."

Ghirahim shrugged, turning his gaze to the wall. As he spoke, he sounded strangely calm, like there wasn't a worry in the world. It was as if something had been dragging his mood down the past few weeks, and was now gone. Or, at least, forgotten. "I see. How did you get captured by the Yiga Clan?"

Link turned away, his cheeks growing hot. "There was an old lady, and—"

"This old lady was alone in the desert? Probably sitting down and doing nothing?"

"Well...yeah, I guess."

Ghirahim laughed. "I can't believe you fell for that!"

Link scowled as the laugh rose, then died away.

"Anyway, you're lucky to be alive. How did you manage to get stabbed seven times? What the hell did you do?"

Briefly, Link explained his run-in with the leader of the Yiga Clan.

"The _leader?_ I thought it was Ganon," Ghirahim said, turning to the window.

"I saw a room," Link said. "It had a bunch of Calamity Goo. You know, the stuff with the eyes?"

"That's Malice, Link."  
Link shook his head. "I call it Calamity Goo. Anyway...I saw a room filled with the stuff. And...and there were people in it. And eyes...these people were staring into these eyes and not even blinking. Do you know what was happening in there?"

Ghirahim frowned deeply. "I would believe it was possession...or mind control. It would be the only way to explain why the clan itself. The only way someone like Ganon could have such loyal followers is if he has a strong voice to make himself sound convincing. The leader...perhaps he is Ganon's voice. It would probably also explain why he has been revived several times over the past century despite being...ahem...lazy."

At first, Link couldn't figure out what about Ghirahim's way of speaking bothered him. When he realized he was quick to ask. "Why do you refer to Ganon as a person?"

Ghirahim paused, reluctant. "I probably shouldn't..."

"Hey, come over here and look," Ghirahim said, breaking the silence.

Link tilted his head as he pushed the blankets off, noting that his shirt was gone and that his pants had been replaced with a better pair.

What could Ghirahim be showing him, anyway? It wasn't like he was the type to enjoy the environment—in fact, he was more than often complaining about it.

Since the window was meant to be used by Gerudo, Ghirahim actually had to lift him so he could see. As he gazed out at the vast wasteland, he noticed a large, snake-like creature in the distance, somewhere near the mountains that surrounded the desert, twisting and curling as it glided across the sky. Upon closer inspection, Link noticed that it was a dragon, with a great green horn identifying it as such. It hovered over the mountain for a few moments, as if watching something hundreds of feet below. Then it moved on toward some unknown destination, disappearing around the side of the snowy mountain.

"What is that?" Link asked, in awe.

"A dragon," Ghirahim said. "One of two, I believe. Or perhaps I just haven't seen the others. They always choose ungodly times of the night to appear."

"There's only two?"

Ghirahim shrugged. "I'm not sure. All I know is that they are rather rare. They probably serve some purpose, like the dragons I've seen in the past. Although those dragons could actually talk. These seem to just run around with no purpose..."

"I want to see one up close."

"No you don't. I got near one and it nearly killed me. It wasn't hostile, but I don't think it can exactly contain its own power."

Link frowned as Ghirahim released him. "Oh."

The subject remained brief, and Ghirahim abruptly moved on. "I see you made friends in the Yiga Base. What were their names? Brutela and Laine? They'll probably run up to you screaming tomorrow."

"How do you know about them?"

"They were the first to react when I brought you here. They nearly tore me apart when I chased them off a couple of hours ago."

"You didn't hurt them, did you?"

Ghirahim looked away, a laugh struggling to break free from the prison of his lips. "I may have dislocated Brutela's shoulder."

"You _what_?"

"To be fair, if I were human I would probably at least have a broken nose."

"But they're okay, right?"

"Other than an aching shoulder, of course."

For a few moments, Link was silent, frowning up at Ghirahim, who blatantly ignored his gaze.

"I'm sorry for getting you upset the other day."

Ghirahim shook his head, turning toward the door. "If this is going to turn depressing, then I would prefer if you would just sleep. We can talk about that tomorrow if you're going to be insistent; you still have Vah Naboris to get to, and I don't think it'll be long before Ganon finally escapes."

\\\\\

The next morning, Link awoke to a sweaty bed. The heat compelled him to throw off his blanket as he sat up. He was in a decent mood, but it was cut short at the memory of his conversation the night before.

Ghirahim was not waiting for him, and he suspected that he'd left again.

Link walked through the threshold into the lobby. A Gerudo sat at the desk, hand resting on her palm as she read a rather lengthy book. She glanced up at Link as he hesitantly left the room, an arm over his chest, the other pushing the door open.

"Don't worry about showing a bit of skin," the Gerudo said without looking up from her book, accent thicker than the Earth's crust. "Us Gerudo would probably go stark naked if it weren't for you Hylian voe and us having female parts. No offense to you, of course. But there are some shitty ones. Just don't take off the rest of your clothes and no one will really care."

"Thanks," Link replied tonelessly as he walked out the front door. The woman did not ask him to pay, so he suspected someone had done that for him.

The inn sat on the edge of an oasis and was surrounded by stands where merchants sold their goods to anyone who would buy them. Sometime during the night, fires had been built, but as the heat began to return, they had been put out. Nonetheless, there were still people around the charred wood chattering to their heart's content, their faces lit up despite the impending danger in the distance.

"Hey! Link!"

Link turned his head to find Brutela and Laine running toward him, already coated with a shiny sheet of sweat. They came to a stop just a couple of feet away from him, panting. Laine looked miserable in his shirt, and Link couldn't help but wonder why he wouldn't just take it off.

"We would have apologized earlier, but your friend chased us off," Laine said between gulps of air. "We shouldn't have left you like that."

"It's fine," Link said, holding up a hand as if to push away the apology. Laine opened his mouth to protest, but Link shook his head. "Really. The same thing would have happened to you if you stayed with me. Did everyone else make it back okay?"

Laine nodded. "Yeah. Some of them were acting a bit crazy, but there were a few healers that managed to address the problem. Most of them left to go home."

"You're the only one who came back injured," Brutela said. "Which is strange...why would they go after you and not us?"

Link only shrugged; he did not feel like trying to explain. "Beats me."

Laine frowned as he tugged on his shirt, trying to get cool air in it. "Be careful if Yiga Clan is after you. They're all over Hyrule." Then he turned his gaze to Link's hip. "What is that?"

"Oh, uh..." Link took a step back, turning to look down at it as well. "It's a Sheikah Slate...I'm not really sure what all it does."

"It looks similar to the designs on Naboris," Laine noted. "Is it connected to it?"

"Well...yeah. I was coming here because of Naboris. I want to...appease it."

"You do?" Laine said, face contorting with horror. "Do you realize how many people have died to that thing? I heard that the other day it destroyed an entire village. No one survived."

"I have to do it," Link said, gulping. "I don't know if anyone else can."

"Last I checked, no one has even made it inside," Brutela said, frowning deeply. "Are you certain you even can?"

"Even if I can't, I have to. The same thing that caused the Great Calamity is controlling it."

"The Great Calamity?" Laine said, more and more wrinkles appearing between his brows and on the sides of his mouth with every word. "The only time anyone mentions that is when they're talking about history." Laine turned his gaze to the sandstorm behind which Vah Naboris hid, evidently troubled now. "If it's really coming to light now, then does that mean it might happen again?"

Link nodded. "I wanna try to stop it before it does. Is there a way I can get into Gerudo Town? I was told I would have to talk to the chief if I wanted to get to Naboris."

Brutela and Laine exchanged glances. Both of them seemed to stand at about the same height, seven feet, although Laine was the shorter of the two. They towered over Link, appearing almost as parental figures despite Link being nearly a century older than both of them.

"Voe...men, I mean, aren't allowed in Gerudo Town, even if they themselves were born to a Gerudo," Brutela said, glancing at Laine out of the corner of her eye. "If you wanted to get in, you would either have to get a pass, which is nearly impossible to get, or you would have to dress as a woman."

"That's fine," Link said, ignoring the mental images flickering in his mind. "I...can do that." _It's not like I have a choice, anyway,_ he told himself.

Again, Brutela and Laine exchanged glances.

"Alright," Brutela finally said. "Wait here. I think it would look odd if you bought women's clothing."

\\\\\

Link honestly couldn't believe what he was doing.

He could be thankful he had privacy, though. Brutela had brought him a traditional Gerudo outfit that she claimed was popular with tourists. It was pink, for one thing. There were men who wore pink, of course, can't deny that, but Link was not one of those men.

Also, the veil wasn't very comfortable. The golden band that wrapped around his head rubbed behind his ears and made them itch. And, sooner or later, the ankle bracelet would get too hot for him to wear it.

Yes, the idea had seemed like a good one when he first agreed to it. But now he had his regrets.

"Hey, how long are you gonna spend in there?" Laine called through the door. "That's a public restroom, you know!"

Before heading toward the door, he stared in the mirror, hardly able to believe that the face that stared back at him, half hidden by the matching pink veil, was his.

 _I can only imagine how Ghirahim would respond to this,_ Link thought as he stepped out into the hall. Laine waited just outside the hall, not quite aware that Link was out yet.

"That looks good on you."

Link jumped and whipped around, half expecting to find a Yiga member standing behind him, ready to kill him. Instead, however, it was Ghirahim, leaning against the wall like he normally did, arms crossed. He would have looked normal, except for the fact that he wore an outfit similar to Link's, though he lacked a veil. Link doubted he even needed one. His was a bright red, much like his cape.

Link breathed a sigh of relief. "I thought you left."

"I was simply getting ready. Are you really putting that on now?"

"What? Do you think I can just stand directly in front of the guards guarding Gerudo Town, strip down, and put it on there? And you're wearing it too."

"Well I actually like it."

Link raised a brow.

Ghirahim grinned. "Is there a problem?"

"No...it's just strange. Mine is uncomfortable."

He shook his head, standing on his feet. Laine looked around the corner, eyes widening when he saw Ghirahim.

Outside, Brutela and Laine stood waiting, each of them holding ropes. At the end of the ropes were strange creatures (that Brutela told him were sand seals).

Behind them, Naboris roared. The cloud of dust and sand seemed to be getting bigger, closer. In less than three hours, that oasis will be no more.

\\\\\

Riding a sand seal, Link found, wasn't much different from a horse. The seals Brutela had rented were trained, so they were obedient. The only hard part was keeping your balance and trying to avoid swinging into rocks. Ghirahim was the only one who had a hard time, and even then after a while he got somewhat used to it. Still, they occasionally had to stop because he either managed to slam himself into a rock (how Ghirahim had not broken a few bones, none of them could explain) or he lost his balance and fell.

As they continued on, the desert only got hotter, but it wasn't so hot that the heat was oppressive. But it _was_ hot enough and sunny enough for him to wonder how he would explain his tan lines if anyone asked. _Oh, yeah, I had to dress like a woman once to go into an all-female town so I could save the world. Don't mind it._

The four stopped by an ancient Gerudo temple built, unsurprisingly, out of sandstone. Parts of the roof had collapsed over the years, allowing them to climb over the rubble and get inside without having to find the proper entrance. Overhead, the sun fell below the horizon and within a couple of hours the desert was almost unbearably cold.

The inside was comfortably cool and dark, albeit dusty. The ground was littered with debris where it had been raided repeatedly over the years. Some statues of ancient Gerudo remained intact, including the largest one that sat at the end, her stone eyes staring through the ceiling at some god above. A scimitar that was twice Link's size was clutched tightly in her hand, ready for battle despite the thousands of years it had frozen in that position.

Link could recall, sometime in the distant past, he'd been here. Zelda and Urbosa had been with him. They'd come to a stop here, on their way to Gerudo Town just like Link was now. Zelda, with her insatiable want for knowledge, had asked Urbosa plenty of questions about that statue and the temple itself.

The statue, Link found, brought back the memory of Urbosa's appearance; he could recall once that he'd noticed a striking resemblance between the two. But Urbosa was more motherly, less of a warrior than the statue.

"I suppose we get to spend the night in the presence of Lady Nabooru," Brutela said, motioning toward the statue. Both Ghirahim and Link turned to look at her. Link had already eagerly pulled off his veil and was tempted to pull off the shirt as well.

"Who?" they said in unity.

"An ancient sage. Naboris was named after her," Brutela said, frowning as if Nabooru was someone they were supposed to know.

"What did she do?" Link asked.

"It was when Ganon had taken the form of a Gerudo. She assisted the Hero in sealing it away before it could do anything, saving us all a world of trouble. And after that, she became the first woman chief."

"How long ago was that?"

Brutela only shrugged and looked around the temple. "Hundreds of years, I suppose? No one knows. This place was abandoned after we were banished from Hyrule soon after her reign because, once again, Ganon had been discovered among our people. The royal family feared us, but King Rhoam allowed us to come back. It's unfortunate that the Calamity displaced us again." She turned her gaze to the ruins, her expression becoming pained. "You told us that the Calamity _will_ happen again, but I wonder...How soon will it be? Guardians have begun reawakening again. Monsters have been reappearing, sometimes even coming back from the dead. The Divine Beasts have been acting up, too; Naboris destroyed an entire village built near the mountains, leaving no survivors. And then, I've heard that the plane of magic has been weakening."

Link furrowed his brow as he turned away from the statue. "Weakening how?"

"Well, from what I've heard, any wound inflicted by ancient technology must be dealt with differently than anything else. It's because supposedly they are tainted with powerful dark magic that can resist our natural healing methods. Lately, most healers haven't been able to heal such wounds. Thankfully, they're rare, but it can lead to eventual death due to the magic in them."

Ghirahim shifted, now interested. He'd hardly listened to the short history recap, instead continuing to stare at the statue, but now that magic had become the subject, his attention was caught. "Do you have any idea of a possible source of this magic? Maybe something happened to it."

Link, meanwhile, became unbearably aware of the burn on his neck, because that was created with ancient technology. It would never heal, much less by itself. Not without the means to do so.

And Teba, too. He was half scorched. Would that kill him? Was he already dead?

Brutela shook her head. "I don't know. This is really just a rumor that's spreading about town like a wildfire. I'm not sure if the problem has went away since I was captured, but..." She averted her eyes. "If the Great Calamity is really going to happen, and you're really going to try to stop it, then I want to help."

Link nodded solemnly, averting his eyes. He could feel the doubt collecting in his head again, and remained silent.

"I have someone that said they would help, too," Link said quietly. "I don't think-"

"Well now you'll have four people." Brutela smiled, then turned and motioned toward a corner. "I'm going to sleep. You may want to as well if you don't want to be miserable tomorrow. Good night." As Brutela retreated to the corner of the room, Link's stomach sank, and he pursed his lips as his eyes began to sting. He'd already gotten Teba hurt. What if the same thing happened to her? What if he got her killed all because he couldn't handle it by himself?

Ghirahim pulled him closer, leaning down to whisper in his ear. "Go to sleep. You may not have gotten in Naboris today, and that's probably because of me, but you will tomorrow."

"I don't know if I can do it," Link replied, whispering as well. "The Champions died because of me, didn't they? And Zelda...she's been in that castle because I couldn't make it, hasn't she? And then Teba.. I wasn't fast enough and he got shot by one of those turrets on Medoh. If we can't heal it and he dies, it's going to be my fault."

Ghirahim frowned deeply, more than usual. "You can't sulk like that. It'll destroy you before Ganon does."  
"I can't help it," Link said, averting his gaze. "I'm expected to save the world, but look at me. I couldn't even take on a Yiga Clan member and make it back safely by myself."

Ghirahim rolled his eyes. "Then get stronger. Nothing else I can say. The Champions aren't your fault, but yes, Zelda being trapped in Hyrule Castle for a hundred years _is_ your fault, and I didn't watch, but it was probably your fault that Teba was shot down, too. But quit fucking whining about it and do your job. And honestly, be glad you're Link, the Chosen Hero, because if you were anyone else I wouldn't be nearly as kind. Now, if you must, take a few moments to think, but you better sleep."

With that, Ghirahim stood up, retreating into the shadows of the temple, leaving Link alone in the pale light of the moon.

Ghirahim's words hadn't been what he was expecting, not at all, but as harsh as they were, they worked.

 _But quit fucking whining about it and do your job._

That really was the only way, wasn't it? He couldn't linger on his past mistakes, for it wasn't like he could turn back time and fix them. The only thing he could do is pick up after himself and keep going.

Link felt better, much better. Like an entire world was lifted off his shoulders.

With that off his mind, Link felt incredibly sleepy. He retreated to a corner and lay down among the rubble. Now somewhat at peace, he closed his eyes.

However, as the world around him faded, Link began to hear a voice. At first, it was indistinct. He found himself _above_ Hyrule, the field stretched out around him and the mountains in the distance jutting toward the sky. The castle was less than a mile away, its four pillars towering over the world. From within the castle came a glowing light and a monstrous roar. The purple cloud surrounding the castle pressed and pressed at the invisible force field. With a sickening crack, bright white lines spread across the force field, zigzagging like lightning.

Finally, it shattered, and the roar raised to a deafening screech. From within the castle, someone—no, _Zelda—_ screamed with pure, unrelenting agony. Link wanted to go to her, to help her, but he was frozen, left to stare at the beast that exploded from the castle, sending parts of the castle flying across the land. At the same time, robots with spidery legs swarmed the fields, their purple glow staining the sky and the moon. Dying screams reached Link's ears as he witnessed destruction like never before.

" _Soon...please..."_ said the voice, now feeble and weak. It faded, leaving Link to wake with a cold sweat.


	8. Gerudo Town

hi sorry this chapter came out so long

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Laine sat on a stool, bathed in the warm glow of the bazaar's dim lights. On the counter in front of him was a single glass of Noble Pursuit, a popular drink among the Gerudo. Outside, night was quickly approaching, and with it came the extreme cold. Having lived in Hateno since he was nineteen, he could hardly imagine how many of the desert's inhabitants endured the extreme heat then extreme cold.

Tonight, though, that wasn't what bothered him. What bothered him was that room in the Yiga Clan base. The eyes...the malice…

He shuddered at the thought of the eyes. When he'd accidentally met its gaze, he felt as if he'd passed into another world and could not get back. He was aware of the world around him, of course, but he wasn't part of it. Something else had taken his place, and was trying to seize control of his body, of his mind. It had to be possession, mind control, _something._ And he could feel the hatred, _see_ it as a red tint to the world, and the whisper from the darkest corners of his mind… He was glad Link had been quick to react and kill the eye. Whatever was happening, it had to be possession, mind control, _something._

That could be the only explanation for Brutela, a Gerudo soldier that had been trained to control her temper, exploding on Link's friend all of a sudden. Even afterwards, she had been violent, even threatening to bash Laine's skull in when he separated the two and attempting to follow through with her threat when he popped her arm into place. As the hours passed, however, she calmed down and apologized. But the same behavior had been seen in most of the others as well.

Telling Link that some of the escapees were acting a bit crazy was an understatement.

There were people that would ordinarily never hurt a fly attempting murder. Some had gone completely crazy, screaming gibberish and lashing out at anything that moved. Some calmed down as time passed, and some were exorcised after Laine and a few others suggested that it was possession or mind control, but there were also those that seemed immune to all attempts to get them back to normal, and those had to be killed.

That bothered him, and the fact that Naboris had woken up so suddenly. Before he had been captured, it had been dormant, sitting in its own corner of the desert where tourists would sometimes risk the walk to go see the Divine Beast up close. But now it was destroying small Gerudo Settlements, mostly lingering around the edge of the desert. The Gerudo had been ordered to keep quiet about the Divine Beast; Brutela was the only one willing to explain what was going on.

 _I need to get my sisters out of here,_ he thought. _I shoulda gotten Link or Brutela to tell them that I'm okay. It's not like anyone else will, or can._

He glanced down.

Technically, he _could_ do it himself, but it would be the same thing as calling himself a female. He had the body of one, but that didn't mean he _was_ one.

His stomach churned at the mental images that nonetheless passed through his mind. While his sisters were different, his mother was not so accepting of him being a man. She'd alienated him for years, until he could finally move out. It'd been years since he'd seen her. Still, her words haunted him.

Deciding he'd had enough, Laine pulled out a few of the Rupees he'd earned earlier that day and placed them on the counter. With that done, he stood up and rushed out, ignoring the bartender's calls of "Are you gonna finish that?" Yes, he was done. He needed fresh air.

As he stepped through the threshold, he found that outside was not much more comforting than in. The winds were strong, strong enough to displace some of the sand that covered the desert. Behind the bar, a sandstorm quickly approached. Tourists were already rushing inside to wait it out, some of them already shielding their faces. Laine could barely see them through the grains of sand whirling through the air.

From within the storm, Naboris roared. Lightning cracked.

For a few moments, Laine couldn't process the din that rose as Vah Naboris approached. He only turned to stare into the distorted, flickering lights and the faint blue glow, his mind lagging behind the world behind him. With sickening horror he realized that Naboris was coming. Those that had already realized were stealing sand seals and fleeing.

It was only a matter of time until Naboris hit a populated area. Just like the oasis he stood in. He thought back to the smaller settlements the Divine Beast had destroyed, the settlements in which no one survived.

A loud boom shook the world as water sprayed in Laine's face. Just ten feet away was Naboris's giant foot, glowing a distinct purple, the light only broken by the distinct designs of the ancient Sheikah. Overhead, the Beast let out a deafening screech. He couldn't stop himself from straining his neck to look up at it, up into what was surely the face of death. From where he stood, he could only see its belly and the platform from which people were supposed to be able to enter it.

His stomach lurched as he realized that from where he stood it could easily step on him. It could easily crush the bar behind him, where people cowered, screaming and wailing, just by stepping on it once. One second there, the next flat on the ground with the bodies of those inside crushed so much that not even their own family could recognized them.

Laine did the only thing he could think to do, although it was impossible. Especially if Naboris followed him. For every step Laine took, Naboris could go thirty feet. A sand seal was the only creature capable of keeping up with it, but they'd all fled. He turned and ran, kicking up sand as he went.

 _Shit. Oh shit. Please spirits help me out of this I can't die I can't die—_

He would have to find somewhere to hide. Temples, towns, and houses from all the times the Gerudo had been moved in and out of Hyrule's desert littered the land, even near the oasis. However, with time they had become less than ideal for living.

Laine's hair stood up. Less than a foot away, lightning struck, the jolt sending him flying. It was a mystery—no, a miracle—that he himself had not been struck.

Laine jumped to his feet and continued on. After spending weeks in captivity, he was _not_ ready to die. He still had things to do, people to see. And he had decided that he would do everything he could to help Link stop the Calamity.

He eventually had to slow down, for his lungs burned. His muscles ached and protested with every step, but he refused to fall. Behind him, Naboris stomped on, and when he glanced back, he found that it was turned toward him. He could still hear people screaming near the oasis, though some were screams of agony.

 _Is it after me?_

No, impossible. He'd only escaped from the Yiga Clan—he doubted he was even a valuable prisoner there. There was nothing the Divine Beast or whoever was controlling it could have something against him.

 _The same thing that caused the Calamity is controlling it._ Link's words echoed in his head, but it did not explain anything. What could _Ganon,_ the terrifying and ancient King of Evil, have against him?

 _I'm probably just in its path. Yeah, that's it._

He hoped that was it, because the Beast was alarmingly close. He could feel his hair standing up again. This time, he darted to his right, hopefully out of Naboris's path. He tried to ignore it when the beast screeched again and the lightning let out a deafening crack as it struck the ground less than ten feet behind him. While it didn't seem that the beast would ever hit him, it motivated him to move faster.

He climbed up a sand dune, still half blind from the sand storm. His eyes stung, even as he held up an arm to shield him, but now he was at the mercy of the desert and Naboris.

The spirits of the desert had plenty of mercy that day. At the top, he could see the remains of an outpost, which had went primarily unused since the days of the Great Calamity. He started toward this, moving as quickly as his legs would allow him. Naboris remained behind him, but when he glanced back he could see that it was twitching, as if something was hindering its progress.

 _The spirits are on my side today,_ he thought. Genuinely, he thanked them under his breath.

The outpost was, like most other Gerudo buildings, built out of stone. It was more like a tower; the first story featured no windows, as it had once been a place where soldiers could hide when they were injured. The second and third stories did. Sometime before, the door had been left ajar. He dashed inside, and before he closed the door, he turned to look at Naboris, which seemed to have lost track of him.

Even in the sandstorm, even from a hundred feet away, he saw the orange glow of Ganon's Eye staring directly at him. For a few moments, he nearly sunk into his gaze. Then he tore his eyes away.

He slammed the door and locked it.

His heart hammered as he pressed his back against the door, somehow believing that could hold off Ganon. But no; Ganon could come in through the windows easily and kill him. Ganon could simply appear in the center of the room, somehow taking on a human form, holding the blade that would end his life.

Ganon did none of those things. But it knew he was there. He'd seen it staring at him. And, overhead, he could hear the loud crash as the bottom of Naboris's belly scraped the top of the outpost and left the roof to crash to the ground.

 _Relax,_ he told himself. _You're fine. You're hidden. Later maybe you can check on the oasis. Maybe you can go to Gerudo Town, ask someone to get your sisters. Maybe the sand seals will come back once it goes quiet because they're trained to do so._

But he knew it wasn't the end, because when it came time for Link to move on he was going with him.

\\\\\

The next day, Laine awoke sometime before dawn. His sleep had been fitful, and he did not feel rested at all.

At least Naboris had wandered off sometime in the night.

He stood up, yawning and stretching in an attempt to awake his dead muscles. He blinked once, twice, then stumbled toward the door and stepped out.

Naboris's sandstorm was now miles away. The Beast was still as noisy as ever, but at least now it was far away.

He turned away from this, toward the oasis. From where he stood, he could see the windowless back wall of the bar he'd been in the day before. He started toward it, finding that he occasionally looked back at Vah Naboris, afraid that it would suddenly be on top of him, prepared to strike him.

But Naboris didn't even come close.

The oasis had been left, mostly, in ruins. While the back wall of the bar had been left intact, the front was another story. It had been completely annihilated, bits and pieces of the sandstone lying about. The inn was in similar shape.

Either no one had remained behind, or everyone had fled as soon as they could. The only sound was the quiet whistle of the wind, and the only thing it could disturb was Laine's hair and the loose sand. Not even the sand seals came back.

"Shit," he whispered, as if someone could hear. Or perhaps he was afraid of breaking the oppressive silence, lest he make a target of himself. Was that it? Was that why he whispered?

He let out a puff of air and moved on to more important topics.

What was he going to do?

The decision was difficult, but he decided he would go to Gerudo Town. Even if he couldn't get through the gates, surely there was _someone_ that was willing to find his sisters if he told them where they lived.

Inhaling deeply, he scavenged the area for a pack and perhaps a melon. It didn't take him long—a tourist had abandoned their pack when they fled the area. He doubted they would want to get it back. The food wasn't difficult either—who was going to pick up their entire shop after nearly being killed?

As expected, he'd run into a woman sprawled out on the ground, her skin already beginning to rot and give off a foul smell. He avoided her and anyone else he came across.

In less than twenty minutes he had set out for Gerudo Town, this time deciding to be more wary of anyone he came across.

\\\\\

How soon was soon?

The question remained on Link's mind long after he awoke, pulled on his veil and got their supplies together, then took off toward Gerudo Town with rested sand seals. The desert sun beat down on them like it always did, and like always it promised no rain.

How soon was soon?

The dream was stuck on his mind, super glued to the front of his brain. Even if he tried to rip it off, part of it would still stick and no matter what he wouldn't be able to get that part off.

He could still picture Hyrule Castle, the heart of Hyrule, exploding into bits and pieces that littered the land nearby. And Ganon, in his spirit-like, beast form flying out of the castle, letting out a deafening roar. He was certain now that that dream was not normal. He never knew what Zelda sounded like, yet he had recognized her voice so easily. He wondered if the dream had been a plea for help.

So how soon was soon? How much longer could she hold it?

Would it be long enough to free the Divine Beasts? If he chose to go straight to Ganon, ignoring Impa's advice, he was sure now that Ganon would use the Beasts to kill him before he became a problem. And Ganon would probably be stronger; Link was sure, based on what he saw in Medoh, that he could use the Sheikah Slate to control them. If he could find a way to make them attack Ganon with the Sheikah Slate, then he would probably be able to at least weaken enough so that he could kill it.

Then, he somehow knew that he would never be able to defeat Ganon with an ordinary sword you could get from any other swordsmith.

But if he didn't have time to get the other two, then he wasn't sure what he was going to do. If the day Ganon escaped would be like what he saw in the dream, then he wasn't sure he _would_ be able to stop it.

Ghirahim and Brutela had noticed that something was troubling him, but they never voiced any concerns. Link had not spoken a single word of his dream; yet the way his brow always seemed to crease when the thought came to mind once more, the way he simply stared ahead, not at all seeming to notice anything served as a sure sign that something was indeed wrong. But neither of them asked him, because if he wanted to talk he would have. Ghirahim chose to wait until he found a moment of vulnerability, when Link would be forced to tell him if he asked.

He didn't have to wait long.

Link was lost in thought, failing to notice the stones and rocks that were beginning to poke out of the ground. They weren't difficult to avoid them; even Ghirahim managed. But Link, standing between his mind and the real world, managed to slam his entire side into a rock. He cried out as his seal squealed, and managed to flip his entire body over the rock.

Within moments, Ghirahim had pulled his sand seal, which he was getting quite skilled at controlling, to a stop and hopped off his board to rush over to him. Link had fallen flat on his back, his hand over his eyes. As Ghirahim stood over him, he looked up, squinting. His veil had flown up seemingly in an attempt to help out with the effort of blocking out the harsh sunlight, and his entire side was scraped and beginning to bruise.

"So, Link, might I ask what's been bothering you all day?" Ghirahim asked, grinning. "I noticed it this morning." This was it, his moment of vulnerability, where took less effort to pull an answer from him than it did to count to two.

Link hesitated. "I...it was nothing."

"Ah, sure. It was nothing." Ghirahim let out a puff of air as he looked up and rolled his eyes. "Yes, of course. It's nothing. Not like it hasn't been occupying you all fucking day. No sir, not at all. Did my little talk last night leave you so butthurt that you can't get over it?"Ghirahim knew that wasn't the problem. Or, at least, he had high hopes that it wasn't the problem.

"No! Of course not!" Link snapped, climbing to his feet. "I was just...thinking."

"About what? The answer to two plus two?" He probably shouldn't have said that, but it seemed he took way too much entertainment from watching Link's temper boil.

Link's nostrils flared as he glowered at Ghirahim. "No, it's not that."

"Then what is it?"

Brutela watched in silence, though her mouth was curled in a deep frown. She glanced at her nails, where the nail polish was beginning to peel, and let out an impatient sigh.

Link averted his eyes, pursing his lips under the veil. "I...had a dream last night."

 _Did it get crushed by your self pity?_ Ghirahim almost asked, but he snapped his mouth shut before the response could spill out. He was finally getting somewhere, and it would do him no good to continue with his smartass responses. "Go on."

"I was over Central Hyrule...you know, the field. And I could see Hyrule Castle just like right there, cloud and everything. Then...the entire castle just exploded and Ganon escaped. There were also these spider robot things—"

"Guardians," Ghirahim offered. "Those in particular are called stalkers."

"Okay, there were stalkers just swarming the field, and I heard Zelda screaming in the castle." Link shuddered. "Then she said 'soon'. That's it." He furrowed his brows, a prominent crease appearing between them. "It's been bothering me all day. I don't think it was normal."

Ghirahim's neutral expression gave way to a frown. "Oh." Before Link could respond, he continued. "I suggest we just keep going. Aside from your terrible descriptions, I don't think there are any truly terrible problems here. And we don't know _how_ soon. It could be tomorrow if we're really unlucky."

Fear flickered across Link's face.

"Not that I think it'll be _that_ soon," he said. "After a hundred years, soon can mean just about anything. Let's just keep quiet for now."

Of course, the subject would remain between them. It was Link's responsibility to deal with such things, no one else's. Ghirahim had just decided to jump in and help.

Link retrieved his board and went back to his sand seal, offering it a pat and an apology before he set off again with Brutela and Ghirahim beside him.

Only a half hour passed before Link saw Gerudo Town for the first time since he lost his memory. The city was surrounded by a thick stone wall, but even when he was downhill and looking up at Gerudo Town he could see the palace in which the chief surely resided. As they neared the gate, they saw two Gerudo standing on either side, their posture stiff. They each had a long, golden spear with a frighteningly sharp point. Each had unique, elaborate designs and Link could instantly tell they were made to last.

Here, just out of earshot of the guards, the trio grabbed their luggage (which, really, wasn't much more than food, and left their sand seals. With a quick wave of her hand Brutela sent them back to their owner.

Then she turned to Link and Ghirahim, who had yet to change out of their disguises. "Don't say a word," she said. "I will do the speaking. Other men have done the same thing you are doing now, but their voices were what gave them away."

As she started toward the town, she motioned for Link and Ghirahim to follow her. The guards looked up as they approached. At first, they narrowed their eyes at Link and Ghirahim, their grips tightening on their spears, and for a few brief moments Link was afraid they were going to impale them. Then their faces lit up with recognition. "Brutela!"

They exchanged something in Gerudic. Brutela motioned toward Link at one point. Then she said something, and the guards nodded. Brutela motioned for them to follow.

After the brief exchange with Brutela, the guards' expressions held no trace of suspicion. They allowed Link and Ghirahim to pass without so much as glancing at them. This sent a wave of relief through Link, which was quickly replaced by awe as he walked into Gerudo Town.

Compared even to the oasis, this place was _alive._ The plaza in which Link stood featured tall palm trees and a small statue in the center. Gerudo and tourists dressed in bright, colorful clothing gathered about in various places, some standing around and simply talking while others explored the shops in groups. Groups of children dashed around, smiles painting their faces as they chased each other. Very few people were alone, and even fewer simply sat around and looked at everyone with miserable expressions. The place was well-guarded, with Gerudo soldiers standing at every corner, each and every one of them wearing dark veils and colorful armor, but even they seemed relaxed and happy, talking with anyone that passed by. Streets and alleys branched out to the rest of the city, leaving there to be a straight, wide road to the palace that was only broken by a detailed statue of Urbosa. The stone and brick was intricately carved with Gerudo designs and symbols, just one of the many examples of how focused they were on culture. And, despite this being the desert, the Gerudo had set up a water line that ran through the entire city, providing everyone with water.

Ghirahim seemed to sense that Link desperately wanted to look around and quickly grabbed his hand before he could wander, tugging him along like a child.

There were two more guards in front of the gate to the palace. They stiffened as Link, Brutela, and Ghirahim approached.

One of them began speaking in fluid Gerudic, baffling Link with how quickly her tongue formed sounds Link couldn't make even if he himself was Gerudo. Brutela answered in the same language, calm and composed as she always was.

The guard hesitated, said something else, but motioned for them to pass.

Though Gerudo Town had been pleasant, the palace held its own quiet beauty. The courtyard leading to the building itself was small—the only plant life was two small palm trees on either side of the door. Two more guards stood by the front door, but they allowed them to pass without a problem.

The inside was relaxing. It was dim, the halls and rooms bathed with a warm, gentle light cast by the lamps hanging on the walls. Across the room, an intricate doorway led to a meeting room with a long table. On either side of them was a hall with a red carpet; Brutela led them to the left. A guard stopped them, questioning them in Gerudic, which Brutela answered quickly. Ghirahim itched to speak, but his lips remained tightly pressed together. Brutela walked them up three stories, to the top floor; by the time they reached the top, Ghirahim was the only one not panting.

Here was the throne room.

The throne faced the open air, where no wall had been built. In the throne was a girl that appeared no older than fifteen. She sat slumped in the chair, legs crossed and her head resting in her palm. She hardly seemed any different from the other Gerudo, only recognizable as the chief by her tall crown and jewelry. A single, burly soldier stood beside her, back straightened and a sword held ready, its point digging into the rug as the soldier held it up by the handle.

Brutela bowed, and she motioned for Link and Ghirahim to do the same. For a few moments, it appeared that Ghirahim was going to downright refuse, his face growing tight with suppressed anger. But, slowly, he sucked up his pride and bowed. The girl said something, and Brutela stood. Link and Ghirahim followed her lead.

For a few moments, the Gerudo chief's face was dull. Then her face lit up with recognition and she jumped to her feet, crying "Brutela!" The rest was in Gerudic.

The only thing he could make out from Brutela's response was "Hylian". The girl quieted down, sitting in her throne once more as her gaze turned to Link and Ghirahim.

"So, Hylians? My Hylian is not...is not..." The soldier leaned over and whispered in her ear. Quickly, the girl corrected herself. "My Hylian is not good. I just started teaching..." Quickly, the soldier whispered in her ear again. "...learning it not too long ago. Sarqso." The soldier nodded.

Link nodded, a silent _it's fine._ Beside him, Ghirahim scowled. Link stomped on his foot and the scowl vanished.

"I am Lady Riju, the chief," the girl said. "What is...what do you you need?"

"They want to help with Vah Naboris," Brutela said, talking slowly. The soldier whispered in in the Riju's ear again, this time going unnoticed by everyone but Riju herself.

"Hylians?" Riju said. "Not many would like it. And it's...impossible."

"Link..." Brutela motioned toward him. "Link has technology similar to Naboris's. H—she may be one of the only people capable of appeasing it. She also helped me and several others escape from the Yiga Clan."

Riju studied Link for a few moments with an uncomfortably hard gaze. When she noticed the Sheikah Slate on his hip, her reaction was the same as everyone else who had seen it. "What is that?"

"A Sheikah Slate," Brutela said, remembering the name with surprising ease. "That is the technology I was talking about."

"It could...could help appease Naboris?"

"I think, milady." She glanced at Link out of the corner of her eye. "But Link suggested that there may be something on it that's controlling it."

Riju considered the slate for a few moments, then stood up. "Come. You too, Bularia."

Bularia the soldier picked up her daunting sword and followed in passive silence, Brutela, Link, and Ghirahim behind her. She led them down the steps to the bottom floor, then out the palace's back door, to the courtyard. She continued until they reached the fence, where a single guidance stone stood with at least ten feet of empty space around it. Riju came to a stop and turned to face them, her black skirt flowing around her knees. She was smaller than the rest of the Gerudo, but it was evident that she would grow to be _very_ muscular.

"Lady Urbosa...used this to get into Naboris," Riju said. "She had something like that slate. It's the only way anyone knows how to get in, or even close to Vah Naboris." She turned to Link and Ghirahim, frowning deeply. "But you can't go in like that. That sword looks way too big. And you don't have nothing."

Link glanced back at the blade he'd stolen from the Yiga Clan. Tired as he was, with his shoulders slumped, the sword's scabbard brushed the ground every so often and it was a wonder how he had somewhat managed to wield it.

Brutela opened her mouth to speak. Bularia beat her to it.

"If you would allow it, Lady Riju," she said, "we could lend them something from the armory. They are, after all, agreeing to do something no one would dare to do at this point."

"I would also like to go with them," Brutela said, and, at Bularia's furtive glare, quickly adding, "milady."

For a few moments, there was silence.

"Brutela," Lady Riju said. The rest of her sentence was in Gerudic. Her voice was gentle, almost coaxing.

Quickly switching tongues, Brutela responded in the same language, brows furrowing and a frown stretching across her features.

Finally, Riju cut off Brutela with a shake of her head. "If there is a problem with Link and her friend going alone, then I will go."

"Lady Riju!" Bularia cried. "Let me go! I insist!"

"I have the Thunder Helmet," Riju said. "I can guard us against Vah Naboris's lightning if needed. I will go, and you will stay here and take charge while I am gone. End of argument."

Link, who felt slightly sick to his stomach, turned to Ghirahim, who was frowning deeply. The chief of the Gerudo going with them? Link could only imagine what would happen if he allowed something to happen to her, too.

But, in the end, even after both Brutela and Bularia tried to persuade her out of it, she was going to go.

\\\\\

Brutela had grabbed the weapons they were to use in the armory, which sat against the back of the palace, the doorway marked by a small tent. The back courtyard wasn't much; mostly, it was the training yard. Dummies littered the grounds along with tired, resting Gerudo and their weapons.

Ghirahim had (quietly, so that no one would hear him) insisted that he was fine, he had weapons. But even after he showed her his intimidating, black rapier, Brutela insist that he take a scimitar or two. He complained, but reluctantly took a scimitar and a shield.

And with that, they headed back toward the very back of the palace, beyond the courtyard. Riju and Bularia stood next to the guidance stone. Riju now wore a chest plate and pants, with golden armored boots. In her hands was the Thunder Helmet, which was obviously too big for her, and on her back was an intricately decorated scimitar and a shield with a sun carved into the gold. Link could distinctly remember Urbosa wearing having the same helmet and similar weapons when he first met her. She had been cold toward both him and Zelda then, but she'd also been quick to warm up.

Link felt a small pain in his chest as he reminded himself that they were all dead. Even if he remembered every small detail about the Champions, even if they loved him with all their heart and he loved them back, they were gone and nothing could change that. They had been dead a hundred years and their memory as _people_ rather than figures in history were rapidly fading.

 _You can think about that later,_ Link told himself. _You have work to do._

He sighed, attempting to exhale all his worries, and stepped toward the guidance stone.

"Protect her," Bularia said as Link scanned the Sheikah Slate and the portal appeared.

Gerudo Town spun out of existence. The next thing the three of them knew, they were standing on the platform jutting out of Naboris's belly, Gerudo Town and any semblance of safety miles away.


	9. Urbosa's Fury

I'm just calling the little eyes in the Malice the Eye because that's the only name I know to call them, unless of course they have an official name that I do not know about. In which case I would love to hear it.

God this is so bad it's somewhat rushed since I don't want to go dead on you guys

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Link couldn't see anything beyond the Divine Beast through the sandstorm that surrounded it. Naboris remained quiet, continuing on as it always did, as if it wasn't aware of the trio standing on the platform jutting out of its underside. A guidance stone stood in a similar position to the one in Gerudo Town, but it held no orange glow like the others; it stood as a useless, dark pillar that taunted them cruelly. Here, there was a circle to mark the portal. The platform swayed with Naboris's movements, sometimes badly enough for them to stumble.

"You are damn lucky you are the chief of the Gerudo, you fucking _brat._ "

Link whipped around to find Riju leaning back, her legs bent at the knees and her arms held up, ready to shield her body. Ghirahim leaned over her, the calm he held in Gerudo Town shattering almost immediately and his face contorted into near rage. Riju, on the other hand, simply looked shocked beyond words.

Link stepped toward them. There was no use in being quiet anymore. "Ghirahim, stop."

Now Ghirahim rounded on him. " _No!_ This little dumbass right here thought it was a good idea to make us drag her along! She's the _fucking chief of the Gerudo!_ And a child, no less! Even Zelda was older than her!"

Riju continued to stare at them, eyes wide and mouth hanging open. Finally, she spat one word: " _Voe!?"_

"She barely knows Hylian!" Ghirahim had stepped dangerously close, their noses only inches apart, dark eyes burning into blue ones and blue eyes burning into dark ones. "We can barely communicate!" For the most part, Riju went ignored.

Link yanked off his veil, deciding it was useless now. Riju gawked at him as well. "What do you think I could do? Or Brutela could do?" he spat back, pushing Ghirahim away. "And it's too late now, anyway. We're here."

Having recovered her senses, Riju stepped between them, shoving them apart. " _Stop!_ "

Link and Ghirahim reluctantly fell silent, but their glares never broke.

"Stop," she said, calmer now. "It's...quiet."

The three went completely silent, listening to the howl of the sandstorm. Nothing growled, shifted within the Divine Beast, or anything. The only other sound was the Calamity Goo within, gurgling.

"I don't think Naboris knows we're here," Link said, voice lowered. Could it even hear them?

"I don't hear nothing," Riju said. "What is controlling Vah Naboris?"

"Same thing that caused the Calamity," Link answered, though he wasn't sure if she _fully_ comprehended the sentence, judging by the expression on her face.

"You would think Ganon has better security," Ghirahim said, voice lowered as well. His anger had left as abruptly as it came. "It's probably inside. Sleeping, maybe."

 _Or waiting._ Link gulped, the fear suddenly chilling him to his core. Ganon expected them to go inside to investigate. That was why it was so quiet. It intended to trap them like prey.

As if he sensed his fear, Ghirahim turned his head to look at him. "What?"

"Maybe it's just waiting."

Ghirahim pursed his lips, turning to the ramp that took them inside the Divine Beast. "You know, last time you thought something pessimistic like that you were right."

"When?"

"Guardians."

Link wanted to try to get more than just that single word from him, but he restrained himself; with the lack of an explanation, he doubted that Ghirahim would be willing to go into detail. Not without leaving him alone with Riju. And he could probably figure it out later.

"Well, I suppose we should get going," Ghirahim said, motioning for Link and Riju to follow. "We can't be here all day."

Inside, he found that Naboris was separated into different rooms, as if the Beast had intended to serve as temporary housing. The room he was currently in had a rack with hangers that had been scattered through out the room along with ripped, worn, and faded clothing.

Like in Medoh, that dark aura hovered in the air, infecting it with its parasitic nature. Calamity Goo was scattered about, and on the ceiling there was an eye that stared at him with that eerie, unblinking gaze. He was quick to shoot it with an arrow.

"You two can't be here long," Ghirahim said. "Not unless you have something that repels dark magic. It'll kill you."  
"I know that," Link replied. "I was the one that went on Medoh."

Of course, this was just one of the chambers within the Divine Beast; albeit small, it showed that Naboris was an impressive size. The designs on Naboris's interior wasn't much different from Medoh's; this Divine Beast was simply bigger. Perhaps this one had been designed so that the user could survive at least a week within it, a design that was crucial when it was stuck in the middle of a wasteland.

The Beast was silent, leaving there only to be the whistle of the wind and the eerie churn of Malice. Riju hovered beside Link, obviously preferring him over the demon that blew up on her. Ghirahim was on the opposite side, summoning his black rapier with a snap of his fingers and a chime.

None of them dared to speak, but Link motioned for them to be quiet anyway. He was tense; if he remembered anything about Medoh, it was the robot that had given him his burn. Surely there was something similar on here.

They continued on through a circular threshold, into the main room. Here were two more that led out to the top of the beast's legs. A structure not unlike the Rito houses had been built so that several people could stand and look out at the endless desert and the mountains that separated it from the rest of Hyrule.

At the center of the room was the central control unit, with elaborate designs around the base of it marking it as important. A set of steps led up to it.

On the ceiling was a shapeless mass of Calamity Goo. The mass was connected to several thick, black tubes that ran into the ceiling.

"What is that?" Riju asked, voice quiet. She now had her fingers curled tightly around Link's sleeve.

The Eye concealed by the Goo opened, its piercing gaze cutting through the trio below it. But Link doubted the eye was simply that; it was much too large, with several smaller eyes stuck to its surface, all of them set on the three below them. Then the wires...what were they for?

As if put through physical pain, Ghirahim winced and stepped back, looking away from the Eye.

Link glanced at him. "Are you alright?"

"Don't worry about me," Ghirahim replied, grip tightening on his rapier. "Just get rid of that damn eye. You're the one with the bow."

Link nodded, tugging his arm out of Riju's grip to pull the golden bow Brutela had given him off his back. However, as soon as his hand shifted toward the quiver tied around his hip, the thing, the Eye, let out a screech.

He could hear Riju's breath hitch behind him as she pulled out her elaborate scimitar.

A loud crack ripped through the air. Link glanced back and found that the air around every possible exit shimmered: barriers.

 _So it_ is _a trap._

He looked up toward the Eye, which now unfolded its four long, spindly limbs. With a growl, it jumped off the ceiling, twisting like a cat so that it would fall on its feet. Now that it was closer, Link could see that the only place not coated with Calamity Goo was the back, where the tubes and wires poked out and kept it connected to the ceiling, or something within it. As it stood up, a metal plate shot out of the Goo and covered the eye. As it started toward them, back hunched and shoulders sagging, more plates emerged from the Goo, turning the spindly limbs into formidable armored arms and legs. What at first Link thought were glowing orange rods sticking out of its palms came to life, forming a sword and shield that gave off an ominous blue glow. Two more robotic arms stuck out of its back, these having actual hands.

The familiar whir of a computer coming to life sounded. Two glassy, robotic eyes began to glow, quickly finding and locking on to him.

It stood straight with similar posture to that of a human's, and lunged toward him with unnatural speed.

Riju was quick to dart out of the way. Link jumped, narrowly avoiding the unbearably hot sword. He sucked in a breath and turned to the monster.

He glanced around to find that Ghirahim was nowhere to be seen. Link felt a pang of horror as he jumped out of the way of another attack. Had Ghirahim fled? He didn't want to be alone with Riju. The mere idea terrified him.

Though he'd only been distracted for perhaps one measly second, the monster had lunged at him again with terrifying speed. The only thing he could think to do was shove his shield in front of his face. However, as the monster sliced at him, it went clean through the shield, and within moments Link's muscles screamed in agony. Crying out, he shoved the shield off as quickly as he could, the heat from the melted and distorted thing only making the pain worse.

Most of the sleeve on his arm was gone, having been burned away. What was left was rimmed by singed, black threads.

 _That isn't going to heal either, is it?_ Link thought as he slashed at the monster in retaliation, but it had already jumped away.

Then he spotted Ghirahim running toward it from behind, hardly more than a white blur, his rapier held up, ready to swing it wherever he pleased. Relief flooded through Link even as the monster nearly sliced him clean in half.

Ghirahim only managed to cut one of the wires before the monster whipped around and sent him hurtling back with a single, well-aimed slap, the demon's back slamming against the metal of the wall with a loud clang.

"NO!" Link yelled, trying to run to him, but the monster cut him off with a quick swipe of its sword.

"Careful!" Riju yelled from somewhere within the room, from the sound of it behind him.

 _Very fucking helpful, Riju!_ Link thought, nearly snarling the words out loud as he ducked to avoid another swipe. Now he was part of a dance with death, the monster seemingly growing faster by the minute.

He took back the thought as lightning crackled, and with a loud boom, the monster screeched, turning to Riju, who had her arms held up, the hands still brimming with electricity, and attempted to strike her back. But she had the helmet on, and the lightning didn't even hit close to its mark.

Link took the chance to slice through a few more of the wires.

For a few moments, it seemed the monster had shut down, and the metal plates began to recede.

 _So the wires are its power source._

He darted away from the wall, toward Ghirahim, who had stumbled to his feet. He had a gaping, half-melted gash across his chest that was already beginning to rebuild itself. He looked up as Link approached.

"I'm _fine_!" he snarled, waving Link off. "Deal with that thing!"

Link, startled, hesitantly turned away, toward the monster. Already it had whirred to life, but now it turned to Riju.

The Gerudo chief held a battle stance, her shield held ready before her and her scimitar clutched so tightly her knuckles were white. She moved cautiously, muscles tense, ready for anything. It was a wonder how she could see through the helmet, which nearly covered her entire face.

The thing swiped at her; however, without most of its wires to power its inhuman movements, it was slower. Link ran toward it, slicing through the rest of the wires with ease.

The metal plates and its weapons died, but it still did not die. It let out an inhuman screech and whipped around. Link jumped back in an attempt to avoid it, but it still managed to slap him away with one of its weak, spindly limbs. But that wasn't what was so bad about it.

Even in that brief moment of contact, the Calamity Goo was quick to suck out the life force within him. He stumbled back, trembling hand flying up to his aching chest.

Ghirahim was quick to jump to his defense, the gash across his torso nearly gone. _But...that's impossible?_ Link stared in shock as he hesitantly removed his hand from his chest. _How did he heal?_ He still felt incredibly weak, but it wasn't as if he could just sit back and enjoy the fight.

The monster seemed to think the same thing, drawing back in surprise to avoid the deadly rapier. It held an arm over the Eye, its evident weak point. Now the Eye was smaller, an attempt to keep them from killing it.

Ghirahim knocked back the arm that intended to go for the kill and stabbed toward the chest. But, while the thing was slower, it was still rather fast and quickly drew back, letting out a growl.

The monster put its back to him, focusing on Ghirahim and trying to drive him back toward one of the barriers. Ghirahim appeared to handle it with ease, deftly jumping back when it tried to swipe at him, then quickly rushing back toward it, trying to get the Eye. He was alone in fighting it, however, because without its metal plates it was dangerous to even touch it, and it was slowly, but surely, accomplishing its mission. It was less vulnerable in this form, and the monster appeared too intelligent to not know that. So why would it adopt metal plates?

Was it otherwise fragile? Were they an attempt to make its body more resilient? That was the only reasonable guess that Link could think of.

A loud crackle broke Link from his thoughts. The two limbs on the monster's back rose into action, their ends pointed at Ghirahim. And at the ends of them were sparks of electricity. Realizing what was coming, Ghirahim held up two fingers, which now held a crimson glow, and the air around him shimmered slightly. Riju did, too, for she ran toward him with the speed of a jaguar, the helmet jumping around on her small head. Of course, it protected her from such attacks, didn't it?

It wasn't enough. Riju wasn't fast enough.

While the small, temporary barrier he'd created protected him from the lightning itself, it quickly shattered, leaving the remainder of the attack to knock him back _just_ enough for him to slam into the barrier. However, for a few brief moments the barrier disappeared, only reappearing when he regained his composure on the otherside.

Ghirahim's eyes widened as he cursed, but nothing could be heard on the other side of the barrier. He pounded his fist uselessly against it. _Bested by a damned ROBOT and a lump of Ganon's shit!_ he thought, growling as his hands tensed into claws. But it was futile to even try; something within the Divine Beast blocked off his magic. _Because it's dark magic,_ he thought bitterly, peering inside.

Riju blocked a slap from the monster with her shield, swinging at one of its arms and coming dangerously close to slicing through it, earning a squeal from it. Her mouth, the only facial feature they could see, was locked tightly closed, and perspiration ran down her chin.

Link jumped toward it, his face pale, his eyes wide. He was the one that sliced clean through it arm.

The monster let out a squeal as the stump of its thin arm squirted liquefied Malice and the other part dropped, falling into a small pool of Malice. Link jumped away to avoid the spray, already weak enough from the simple slap.

The monster held out its hand, aiming a crack of lightning at Riju. She jumped back and screamed as the lightning struck the lop-sided helmet, knocking it clean off.

Link swung his scimitar at the monster as it turned a hand toward him, intending to strike him. It jerked back, and let its spell loose.

The agony that ripped through his body was agonizing and the light blinding. He fell back, knocked senseless.

However, within moments, the floor became visible once more, and he could hear the _squirsh_ of the monster's footsteps as it approached him. A few feet away, Riju lay, completely still, her helmet just at her feet. He groaned, trying to work muscles that protested with the slightest movement and reaching for the scimitar.

On the other side of the barrier, Ghirahim watched, entire body rigid, eyes aflame with barely-contained rage.

Though they were in agony, Link managed to wrap his fingers around the scimitar's handle. Clutching it tightly, he twisted to look at the monster.

For a few moments, he met the Eye's gaze, and it pulled him in as another presence entered his mind.

 _Don't think I'm a simple little pig hiding in Hyrule Castle,_ the presence said, the hatred in its simple existence chilling Link to the core.

Then it disappeared, and Link forced his gaze away from the eye. The monster had paused while the voice spoke to him, but now as it regained its senses it started toward him once more, less than a foot away.

Link tried to stand, though it was difficult. He wobbled on his feet. He drew the hand with the scimitar back.

The monster headed closer, its hand held out once more.

Link lunged, his entire body protesting as he drove the scimitar hilt-deep into the Eye, Ghirahim's word's briefly flashing through his mind as the monster exploded into little more than wisps of smoke.

 _Always go for the eye._

He struggled toward his feet and turned toward Riju. She let out a faint groan, but was only semi conscious. Ghirahim was still stuck on the other side of the barrier.

Link turned to the central control unit, walking toward it with a ginger slowness. _The security system, probably._

He felt a cool breeze run down his back, a comforting chill unlike the terror from the monster.

Before he could reach the central control unit, a transparent figure appeared, at first taking no distinct shape but slowly gaining the details and features of Urbosa, the Gerudo Champion. She still wore the hairstyle and clothing she had on before she took her last breath.

Behind him, the barrier vanished and Ghirahim reluctantly stepped inside, kneeling over Riju long enough to check her pulse. With a sigh he stood up and glanced at Urbosa and Link. "Go ahead and do whatever you need to," he said, seemingly unfazed by the ghost less than ten feet away. Urbosa regarded him with a nod then turned to Link.

"Really, spending a hundred years with your spirit trapped in isolation really darkens your mood," she said, smiling lightly. "I can't believe I ever doubted you. Or you, Ghirahim. I always thought you were simply a distraction, but I was wrong." She stepped down, toward them. "I have to go soon; they're calling me. But I want to talk first. Zelda...how is she?"

"I don't know," Link answered. "But she's alive."

Urbosa frowned. "Ah...I suppose she's been fighting the Calamity for a century, so perhaps no one would know. Soon you'll be finishing it off, won't you?"

Link hesitated, but nodded. He wondered if he _would_ be able to finish it off.

"Just keep going," she said. "I want you to tell Zelda that I'm proud of her. I'm proud of both of you."

Link strained a smile. "I will."

"And another thing...you freed Revali, didn't you?"

"How did you—"

"I can...sense him there." She motioned behind her, as if Link could see him as well. "I doubt he said much; he's always been a little cold toward you. But know he cares about you just as much as I do. All four of us do." She looked away. "Never doubt yourself. That won't get you far in this. And I want to see you in the Spirit Realm only after you've lived your life to the fullest. Not right after Ganon dies and especially not before. I know everything that's happened hurts, but you need to be able to move past these and do what you need to."

Now she turned away, her skirt (which featured designs similar to those on Link's blue shirt) flowing behind her.

"I have to go. Sorry we couldn't talk more." She turned and stepped up back toward the central control unit. "Make sure Ganon feels pain, and a lot of it," she said, brushing her hair out of her face. "Vah Naboris is yours now. Make good use of her. I wanna see you incinerate Ganon into a pile of ash. Good-bye."

Even as she said her last good-bye, she began to fade, and within moments, she was gone, leaving Link to stare at the ground where she'd stood moments before, feeling numb and unbearably tired. Reluctantly, he stepped up toward the central control unit, feeling a slight chill as he approached the guidance stone. He pulled the Sheikah Slate, which had miraculously been unharmed, and scanned it. It let out a beep, then he replaced it on his belt and turned to Ghirahim and Riju.

Riju had sat up, her mouth forming a small o as she stared at him.

"Lady Urbosa..." she said, climbing to her feet. "Was that..."

Link nodded and stepped beside her. "Are you alright?"

She half-heartedly nodded, turning to look for her helmet. As soon as she spotted it laying on the ground, she snatched it up and turned to him. "What was that?"

Link only shrugged. She looked toward Ghirahim, who didn't know either. Frowning, she turned back to Link. "What will happen to Vah Naboris?"

Link could only shrug to this as well.

"It's up to you," Ghirahim said, motioning toward the central control unit. "Urbosa said it for herself: Naboris is yours to use for your convenience. As is Medoh, as I would assume."

"But I don't even know how to control them," Link protested. "And I can't even see Medoh from here."

"Perhaps you should learn," Ghirahim suggested, quirking a brow and grinning. "From the looks of it, you can do it all with that slate right there."

"Keep it far from Gerudo Town," Riju said abruptly, making sure her voice was loud enough to be heard.

"I will." He shifted uncomfortably and noticed that Ghirahim had gone dreadfully silent, white lips pursed.

"What?"

"Ganon's getting stronger," he said. "Or perhaps Hylia's power is getting weaker. Even if he's still reliant on the Divine Beasts' security system, he's managing to do much more. He was able to transform that thing to his needs, even if it didn't need four hands."

Link gulped, thinking back to his dream. Riju had gone pale, able to understand that something was seriously wrong by the tone of their voice.

"Should we go back?" he asked.

"Yes. Let's," Ghirahim said, standing up and heading toward the guidance stone. Now the portal was lined by an ethereal blue light not unlike the light he saw in the cave.

Not for the first time, he wondered who the Sheikah Slate even belonged to.

He shook his head, and followed after Ghirahim and Riju, pulling the Sheikah Slate off his hip once again.

He was now sure that it had been left for him. It called back a memory that he'd been struggling to recall since he first looked at it after Medoh. Now, however, he paused and gripped it with ease.

 _Link, why are you so quiet?_

For a moment, he feared that the memory of Zelda's voice would slip away, leaving him unable to find out what the _hell_ it had to do with the Sheikah Slate.

 _She held the slate out toward him, nudging it toward his chest. "Take it. I think it's for you."_

 _He looked up at her, raising a brow, quietly asking her why the hell she had to come to him at midnight. She simply smiled weakly at the expression._

" _I know you stay up well beyond midnight. I can hear you when I pass the training room. And you know Father has forbidden me from researching the guardians, so I can't have him catching me with this. Now, take it. I would like if you tried to find out more about it for me. And keep it hidden."_

 _He hesitated, but took it, remaining as silent as ever. However, even then, Zelda lingered, glancing around nervously._

 _He looked up at her expectantly. She met his gaze, bit her lip. And when she finally spoke, her voice was quiet, not the usual confident tone that she'd been trained to use._

" _Link, why are you so quiet?" she asked. "You've only ever spoke to me once, and that was when I yelled at you last time. The other times, even if I ask you something you won't even speak to me. And you take everything I throw at you quietly."_

 _Link frowned, bitterly recalling the one time he lost his temper. He'd been following Zelda, because that's what he was supposed to do. Yet she yelled at him, and in an instant his calm demeanor had broken, giving way to fury that he hadn't even been aware of until Ghirahim brought it to light. He regretted some of the things he called her that day, but otherwise he was far from sorry._

" _Why, Link? Can't you tell me? You've been assigned to me for a while, yet I know nothing about you. You keep your doors closed, never uttering a word. The only person I've even seen you laugh with is… is…" She averted her eyes. "Ghirahim."_

 _Link rolled his eyes, turning to return to his room. But Princess Zelda grabbed his arm._

" _I'm sorry for yelling at you," she said. "I was being immature. I realize that now. I just..."_

 _Link shrugged it off._

" _Can't you talk to me? At all?" Link could see harsh reflection of the torch on the wall in the tears that quickly built up in her eyes. "We can't just continue on barely knowing each other. Eventually we're going to have to fight together, all six of us and the guardians. I don't know what you think of me or anything, and it's been a year. But you've known Ghirahim for maybe two weeks and he probably knows more about you than anyone ever will. Why?"_

 _Link sighed. He couldn't evade her questions any longer, not without making her angry. And in the quiet, lonely hallway there was nothing to distract her. He tugged his arm out of her grip and turned to face her. "I feel like I've known Ghirahim a long time."_

" _But you haven't," Zelda said, furrowing her brows. "And he hasn't even called you by your name yet. The only thing I see him calling you is birdshit."_

 _Link felt a pang of annoyance. "You don't understand, Zelda. We're friends. That's just our way of showing it." He turned away, wanting to be done for the night. She didn't understand other people, pushing them around even without trying to. How could he expect her to understand him?_

" _Why can't we be friends, too? I would think I treat you much better than him."_

" _No you don't," Link said, turning to glare at her. "And what does it matter, anyway? You forbade him from ever getting near me."_

" _I'm sorry. I'll lift it," she said, unconsciously taking a step back._

 _Link shook his head. "Still, you knew he was one of the only people that could...that could actually make me happy and you're trying to keep him away because you heard him call me birdshit once or twice. You're_ trying _to do the right thing, but you're not taking in mind the consequences. Goddesses, you don't even realize it, but you probably wouldn't care if something happened to me. But thanks for apologizing for once. I guess it's a start."_

 _Instead of getting angry, Zelda winced, but didn't protest. Her voice was weak, shaky and she'd already begun to cry. "Oh."_

 _He waved her off and stepped into his room. That was all he planned to say that night; anymore, and he was sure she would tell her father on him and have him severely punished. Zelda never called after him._

"Link, what the hell are you doing?" Ghirahim called. "We're waiting on you!"

"Coming!" Link called, and rushed toward them, putting on his veil as he went.

Well at least now he knew a little more about his past relations with Ghirahim.

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I promise I'll start trying to build more of a relationship between them soon

But wow my characterization of Zelda is so negative


	10. Wounds

The only light within the small room was a single, dim lantern. Link and Ghirahim were stuck together in this small room, with barely more than a bed. A pack containing the outfit he'd been forced to wear to get into Gerudo Town along with his ruined blue shirt sat against the wall. Link himself simply lay in the bed in his underwear.

His burnt arm had been treated with an ointment that had soon left it numb and bandages. There wasn't much more they could do, with the weapon used being ancient technology. While there were healers that could easily heal such an injury within Gerudo Town, their magic was severely weakened and they simply couldn't muster the energy.

Ghirahim lay with him, body draped over his torso and Link's hurt arm thrown over his shoulder.

"I still don't get why you have to lay on me," Link said, glancing down at him. "You're heavier than you look."

Ghirahim shifted. "Oh, shut up. It's relaxing."

"You've never done that before. Why now?"

"Because I decided now." Ghirahim shifted so that they were nearly eye-level, but not quite. "Anyway, we should probably move on to something more important. Like you arm."

"It's just my shield arm," Link said.

"But it won't heal," Ghirahim replied. "And you're also weakened from that Malice. Don't you feel tired?"

Link hesitated, averting his eyes. He _did_ feel sluggish and exhausted, but he wondered if that was worth mentioning. What he was really worried about was the ache in his chest that had yet to disappear. Still, he nodded.

"For now, I think you should stop your little quest to free all the Divine Beasts until you can find a way to fix that."

Link frowned deeply, not enjoying the thought at all. To him, Ganon could escape at any time, even if Ghirahim said that there was nothing to worry about. "Don't _you_ know a way? You're the one that managed to recover from nearly being sliced in half earlier."  
Ghirahim shook his head. "We're completely different. In seconds I can recover from wounds that would leave you immobilized for weeks. I'm just saying, if you try to continue on without being able to recover from Ganon's attacks _at all_ , then I guarantee you'll die."

"But I can't stop," Link protested, his eyes glued to the wall. A frown set itself deep into his face. "We don't know when Ganon will escape. I need to make sure it at least doesn't have the Divine Beasts."

"It would be stupid at this point; you're already weakened from that Malice. This isn't a suicide mission."

Link thought back to the dream, and the destruction he witnessed, with fires blazing everywhere, burning through everything their dancing flames touched, and people screaming in fear and agony. Then all those guardian stalkers… He looked away, trying to push the images out of mind. "But I _can't._ I don't know if I have the time."

Ghirahim sighed, wrapping his arms around him and burying his face in the crook of his neck. For a few moments, Link was stiff, staring down at him with a baffled expression. It didn't help that he was cold, and a deep chill had set into the room as the desert released all its heat from the day.

"As stupid and hardheaded as you are, I can't fucking believe I love you as much as I do," Ghirahim said, voice muffled

For a few moments, Link simply stared down at his shoulder and upper back, completely silent. "Sorry—"

"Quit apologizing," Ghirahim said, quickly cutting him off and pulling away. "I suppose it's in your nature—to become courageous you must first become really fucking stupid."

Link scowled.

"Just...go to sleep," Ghirahim said, ignoring him. "We're leaving tomorrow."

He looked away, perhaps closing his eyes and attempting to sleep despite the dull ache in his chest and the sting in his arm that was beginning to return after four hours. However, the dream world eluded him, and he opened his eyes once more to look at Ghirahim, who stood up, snapping his fingers to make his cape appear in a burst of diamonds. Link hardly noticed through the fatigue that weighed him down that Ghirahim had changed back into his ordinary clothing.

Abruptly, Link was reminded of the day they'd left Kakariko.

"Hey, Ghirahim," he called just as the demon raised his hand to snap his fingers once more, most likely to teleport.

He turned to face him, narrowing his eyes. "I thought I told you to sleep. You're gonna wake up early, like usual."

"Your favorite insult was birdshit, wasn't it?"

Ghirahim froze, his frown giving way to a look of surprise. "Well… I mean… How do you know that?"

"It's not like I can't remember _anything._ It's just...certain things trigger these memories. Anyway, what does birdshit have to do with me? Did a bird actually shit on me when we first met?"

Ghirahim laughed. "You have too much luck for that. It actually has next to nothing to do with you. Now, would you go to sleep?"

"Then why call me that?"

"It's just...a stupid insult, Link. Now, seriously, go to bed."

"I _am_ in bed. Are you gonna leave?"

Ghirahim groaned. _Of course. He's not_ as _stupid as_ _before_ _._ "Yes. I'm going to pay someone a visit."

Link frowned, recalling when Ghirahim had left him for days. "Who?"

"Someone from the Zora," Ghirahim replied. "I'll be back before dawn. Now to _go_ to fucking sleep."

With a quick snap of his fingers, Ghirahim vanished, leaving Link alone with his thoughts.

Link shrank under the thick blanket, which featured, as expected, detailed Gerudo patterns. He let out a puff of air, already missing Ghirahim's presence.

 _He'll be back before tomorrow,_ Link assured himself, forcing himself to rest his head on the pillow and close his eyes.

All Link could see was black. He could have sworn he saw flashes of purple, but they vanished as soon as they appeared.

 _Help me please help me help help please PLEASE HELP_

The thoughts, disorganized and desperate, were not his own, but they were enough to send him into a panic. The metallic scent of blood invaded his nostrils; he could taste it on his tongue, _feel_ the warmth of it around him, yet he saw nothing. It made him feel unclean, horrified. He tried to rub it off, but the feeling wouldn't leave. He clawed at himself, hoping that maybe, just maybe, the feeling would go away. His heart pounded and his neck and arm seared.. Still, that feeling would _not_ go away.

 _HELP ME!_

The words sent fear flying up his spine, especially when he recognized the voice. He looked around desperately, hoping to see her, remembering his duty to protect her for all of five seconds.

"Wake _up,_ birdshit!"

Link opened his eyes, the utter terror lingering from the dream, and for a few moments he thought he was still stuck in some sort of hell based on the pain in his arm and neck. But as he recovered his senses, he discovered that he was simply in the room within Gerudo Town's palace, with Ghirahim standing over him, a hand shaking him awake. He released a shuddering breath and looked up at the demon hovering over him.

"Do you always have to be so hard to wake up?" Ghirahim asked, crossing his arms. "Considering how restless you were, I would think it'd be easier." He'd already changed into his ordinary outfit—the one that managed to draw Link's eyes toward him no matter how hard he tried not to stare. Ghirahim glanced down at his arms, scowling at the sight. "How did you scratch yourself so badly in your sleep? I thought you were supposed to be next to completely immobile."

Link rubbed his eyes, ignoring the question. "You used the insult," he noted

Ghirahim paused and absentmindedly wet his lips. "Of course I did. What's your problem?"

Link stood up so that he wasn't having to strain his neck quite so much to look at him, though Ghirahim was still closer to most the Gerudo's height than he was to Link's. "You didn't even mention it before."

Ghirahim's stone expression wavered. "And why is this important? I'm more concerned about the fact that you clawed yourself and you're bleeding."

"I just noticed it-"

"Nevermind it. Get ready. I'll get a potion or something."

Before Link could say anything else, Ghirahim left the room a little too hurriedly, his fringe flapping around with every step. Link sighed and rolled his eyes, but did as he was told. Within minutes, he followed after Ghirahim, now dressed in his blue shirt and pants and a pack the Gerudo had been kind enough to give him slung over his shoulder. Within the pack was more of that ointment that had numbed his arm and more bandages. No doubt he looked terrible, with a bloodstain that would probably never come out staining the side of the shirt and pants. He'd also pulled up one of the sleeves of the undershirt and refused to put on one of the gauntlets because he didn't enjoy the constant searing pain of his arm.

Bularia stood alone in the dimly lit hallway; like in the throne room, the floors featured a clean, intricately decorated carpet and complex designs carved into the walls. In her hands were the scimitar and shield that Riju had wielded the day before. Bularia's expression was stony, but her eyes were on fire and she appeared displeased to see Link stepping out of the room.

"Lady Riju wishes to give you this," she said, tone unreadable. "From what she understands, you have business outside the desert as well, and she doubts your scimitar will last you long."

Bularia held out the scimitar and shield. Link hesitated, but at Bularia's deadly glare he took it. The shield featured a design, carved entirely out of gold, of the sun, and around its rim was a band of gold embellished with brilliant gemstones. The shield itself showed very little signs of wear. The scimitar was just as beautiful, made out of gold with gemstones embedded into the detailed carvings.

"I can't," Link said, feeling very much wrong holding Riju's weapons.

"We insist," Bularia responded, averting her eyes. "You calmed Vah Naboris for us. Lady Riju has been seriously injured, which is why I am talking in her stead, but we should be able to take care of her wounds. No doubt you saved many lives." A hint of a smile cracked her cold expression, and Link nearly smiled himself, but in the back of his mind he wondered if that simple lightning spell was cursed. Then again, it hadn't caused him much more pain since he was struck.

"I...thank you. I'll take care of it."

"You better. These weapons were once wielded by Lady Urbosa, our chief's grandmother. It is a miracle we managed to recover them."

Link gulped and glanced down, now even less eager to take the weapons.

"She also wanted to give you this." Bularia fished through an unseen pocket and pulled out a circlet. The gold had been shaped to form leaves, and at the front was a detailed design with a diamond embedded into the gold. Link gaped at it. "It should lessen the effects of the attacks from a guardian. It's been blessed with Light, so I think you can understand why. I still wouldn't recommend standing in the open and letting a guardian blast you, though."

Link hesitated, but took it, carefully placing it around his head. It reminded him of something similar he could recall Laine wearing around his head, but that had been embedded with a sapphire and it was simply made out of steel.

"Now, come. Your stupid friend insisted he knew the way, but I have serious doubts about you. You looked ready to faint when I lead you to that room."

 _I probably_ was _ready to faint._

Link nodded and followed Bularia and Riju through the complex hallways of the palace. It was a wonder how Ghirahim could find his way through the maze, but he didn't doubt that the demon was very much capable of doing it. Really, it seemed that Ghirahim would have been able to handle Link's task much better than Link himself could. A _lot_ of people seemed like they could handle the task better. Yet, the responsibility had fallen on the Hylian with only vague memories of his old life. The Hylian that still felt he had no place in this world, despite already earning the support of several people.

They passed intricately carved wooden doors and statues of Gerudo soldiers clutching swords, with their metal tips digging into the stone, not unlike the suits of armor you would see within a castle.

Eventually, the hallways opened up to the main room, and here Ghirahim and Brutela stood by the wide threshold leading to the courtyard, seemingly talking by staring at each other with stony expressions. Ghirahim was the first to look up as Link approached, glancing at the circlet around his head but otherwise ignoring it. Brutela quickly followed. Link noticed that now she had her own weapons: a sword not unlike Bularia's and a shield.

"Laine is just outside the walls," she said quickly, before any of them could speak. "He plans to go with us too. We went ahead and lent him something from the armory."

"Hey, Link, by the time we're done with this, you may very well have an army," Ghirahim said, grinning. "Already you have…how many people have said they're going to help you?"

Link frowned, not enjoying the thought of that. All he could do was think back to the Champions and how they had lost their lives to Ganon. He wasn't eager to have the same thing happen to people he barely knew, people that had lives beyond the Calamity, beyond him. "Three. Teba said he would, but he's hurt."

"You shouldn't look so grim," Brutela said. "To do this alone would practically be suicide. Even with this guy with you." She motioned toward Ghirahim. No doubt she was well aware of his capabilities beyond using a sword, having been knocked senseless in seconds. "And having to deal with a threat as big as the Great Calamity? You might _need_ an army.

"You should listen to her. She tried to break a couple of my bones, but otherwise she's smart."

Brutela rolled her eyes. "I wasn't myself."

"It doesn't matter now, does it? That was yesterday."

"C'mon," Link said, cutting them off. "We should get going. Isn't Laine waiting for us?"

Brutela nodded. "Although he was pretty tired earlier. The oasis was attacked by Naboris—he was one of the few survivors."

Link turned to her. " _What?_ "

"It was before you managed to appease it." Brutela averted her eyes. "He's fine, but he came all the way here alone..."

"I...okay." Link inhaled deeply, fending off the guilt that threatened him. "Okay. Oh, hey Ghirahim, where'd you go last night?"

Ghirahim let out a puff of air. "I knew you would ask that. I had a chat with the Zora. Particularly, the Zora Princess Ziya."

Link frowned. Barely, he could recall what the Zora were. "Why?"

"Most Zora are healers, similar to how most Gerudo and Rito are warriors." Ghirahim pushed himself off the wall. "Princess Ziya is supposed to have been taught all she _can_ be taught about things such as healing magic, almost like she's a second Mipha." Link shot him a questioning look, to which Ghirahim answered, "The Zora Champion, one of your old buddies. Anyway, a lot of what Ziya could offer me was rumors, but they seem to have some substance. For one, she told me that there are three dragons that supposedly _make up_ the plane of magic. Which means, if something happens to them, the plane would weaken. Which means you wouldn't be able to heal wounds inflicted by ancient technology or, you know, things like that." He grinned. Link didn't return it.

"So, if something happens to one, what can we do?"

"She told me there's supposed to be three temples dedicated to them located in Hyrule's original three provinces. She said that these temples were said to always take you to the dragon, no matter where it was. So, if something happens to one, we should be able to fix it."

That _did_ sound questionable. Link pursed his lips. "So we're gonna have to hunt these temples down?"

Ghirahim shrugged. "I've seen my fair share of temples. We could probably find them pretty easily."

Link frowned and turned his gaze to the courtyard just outside the palace. "I guess that works. But I wanna go to Rito Village first."

Ghirahim drew back slightly in surprise. " _What?_ Why?"

"I need to see how Teba is doing." Link's gaze fell to the ground. "And I need to check on Medoh, too."

"That's too far off our path! It's not like we can cut through Central Hyrule!"

Link looked up at him. "Why not?"

"Do you even _realize_ how many guardians are out there? If you're stupid enough, you could have five of them on you _at once!_ "

"Okay, fine, but I still need to go to Rito Village."

Ghirahim seethed, not enjoying the thought of traveling so much so far, but Link's tone had left no room for protest. Reluctantly, begrudgingly, Ghirahim gave in to his wishes.

Link started out toward Gerudo Town, though before they got to the city itself Brutela took the lead. Almost impossibly, the city was more lively than it was when he'd first entered it. There were people in the square playing music, adding to the light tone of the entire place. Again, he desperately wished to explore, but one look from Ghirahim stopped him. The Gerudo gave him odd stares, but otherwise they seemed indifferent to the only two men (aside from the Gorons) in their city.

Outside the walls, a small tent had been set up where a Gerudo rented out sand seals. Beside this Gerudo was Laine, who sat on a rug that had been set out for anyone that wanted to rest before entering the city. The rug sat under a tent, providing plenty of shade for anyone that sat under it. His eyes were closed and his head rested against the stone wall as his chest rose and fell, rose and fell.

Link really couldn't deny that he looked like he should be the one kicking Ganon's ass into the sun, even when he was sleeping. Either him or Brutela.

Brutela knelt beside him, shaking him awake. Groggily, he opened his brown eyes and squinted at her, before his expression lit up with recognition. He stood up, rubbing his eyes as he went toward Link and Ghirahim.

Brutela lingered under the tent to talk with the Gerudo about renting a sand seal. She exchanged the Rupees, and within moments the group of four was off, heading toward the canyon as quickly as they could.

They only stopped once near the same temple that Link, Ghirahim, and Brutela had stopped at two days before. While the others rested, Link sat outside, leaning against the pile of rubble he had to clamber over to get inside, Sheikah Slate in hand. Though he was miles away, he attempted to learn the controls on the Sheikah Slate for Vah Naboris, which he could now see resembled a camel with its long, slender (at least in proportion to its body) neck and legs and even the hump. By morning, he was cranky and sleepy, but he'd managed to get Naboris on the top of one of the mountains, where it had a good view of Hyrule Castle and perhaps the world beyond.

\\\\\

They reached the canyon around the afternoon the next day. Laine was the only one who had not lost his patience through the hours and hours of endless desert, with hardly more than the Sheikah Slate and the mountains in the distance to guide them. The sun endlessly beat down on them, driving them to misery as it burned their skin and the sweat drenched their clothes. It came as a relief when the Gerudo mountains hovered over them, the narrow canyon offering more than enough shade.

They climbed the wooden ramp and into their confines, where Link spotted the familiar stable jutting out of the red sandstone. Almost instantly, he spotted his Chocolate and ran toward him, quickly fishing out the Rupees and paying the fee to the stablehand.

Chocolate whickered and nudged him as he approached, to which Link responded by stroking his snout.

"Sorry, boy, I couldn't take you in the desert," Link whispered as if the horse could understand him, smiling lightly. His clothes were still damp and his blonde hair was plastered to his face, but at least now he wasn't as miserable. "I doubt you'd have too good of a time, anyway."

Beside him, Laine had gotten his own horse. It was rather small, with light brown hair and an even lighter mane. White spots were speckled along her sides and back. He positively beamed as he showered her with affection.

Brutela had her own horse as well—for when she ventured out of the desert, she said, which was often due to her being assigned to find out what she could about the Yiga Clan and to scout for Guardian hotspots dangerously close to the Gerudo Desert, such as Central Hyrule. The mare was a surprisingly pretty shade of gray with a white mane and tail.

They chose the stable to rest for the night, and all except for Ghirahim slept like a rock. Ghirahim shared a bed with Link, which earned them strange looks from employees and customers alike, but Link was too tired to care and Ghirahim didn't care in general.

When they left the next morning, the sun was just beginning to peek over the horizon. Chocolate snorted and protested when Link tried to ready him for the trip, and Brutela and Laine's horses were no different.

"Goddesses," Laine said as he mounted his fussy horse, coaxing her with an apple slice. "Do you _always_ leave this early?" He looked up at the sky, which was just beginning to take on its usual hue of blue. "It's too damn early for this."

Ghirahim opened his mouth to respond, but Link, for once, beat him to it. "Take a nap," he said, sounding as if he didn't understand Laine's troubles at all.

Laine frowned. "I'll fall out of my saddle."

Link, deciding that it was useless to try to mount Chocolate at that point, grabbed his reins and yawned. "Then don't."

Brutela remained silent, sluggishly readying her own horse, who seemed to be as much of a morning person as Ghirahim was. She snorted disdainfully when Brutela mounted her, but otherwise cooperated.

All four of them were tired as they began the long walk through Gerudo Canyon. They moved slower than they would have liked, and it was a long time before Chocolate would allow Link to mount him. And even then, he would snort and occasionally do the exact opposite of what Link wanted him to, stomping and sometimes balking when Link tried to get him to act right.

By the time the canyon opened up, the afternoon sun was beginning to set. Link dismounted Chocolate as they met the open air and suddenly the sky became more than just a sliver of light far above them. Less than a mile away was a lake with several large rocks jutting out of it, with a bridge connecting each one. It was the same as the last time Link traveled the area.

They chose to stop under a rock jutting out of the side of a mountain, next to a small group of trees that barely managed in the warm and dry climate, only kept alive by the lake right next to them. After tethering Chocolate to one of these trees, Link stood on the cliff that dropped into the lake, staring down at the glittering water. In the quiet his eyes drooped, and the only thing that kept him falling asleep on the spot was the fact that he was standing and he wasn't eager to fall into the lake.

As darkness settled on the land, Link looked up at the sky, muscles tense, somehow expecting to see something dark and threatening. Once his eyes found the cool light of the moon, however, he relaxed and turned back to the rest of the group.

Laine and Brutela sat under the shadow of the rock; while Laine was asleep, Brutela appeared to be close to it. Ghirahim watched him with a keen eye, his expression unreadable, as he stood next to them. When Link approached, he spoke.

"What were you looking for?"

"I don't know."

"I was looking for it, too." Ghirahim flipped his hair and looked up at the sky again. "Do you hope you never see it?"

Link nodded. He knew what the topic was, but he also didn't. He didn't _want_ to know.

"So do I. But it might pop up soon."

The dread that filled Link to the brim felt like ice. "Yeah, maybe."

"Let's just rest for now. It's not like there's much else we can do."

Link frowned, suddenly shivering. He sat next to Ghirahim and rested his head on the demon's shoulder, trying to ignore the sting of his arm and neck.

"You're cold," he muttered.

Ghirahim looked down at him, raising his nonexistent brows in slight amusement. "What? Did you think I was warm?"

"I'm just saying."

Ghirahim huffed, shifting under Link's weight. "Also, Link, it's _my_ job to be a bothersome prick. Even if I haven't been doing a good job lately."

Link closed his eyes, nestling against him. Ghirahim rolled his eyes, but gingerly wrapped an arm around him. "You know damn well you're not bothered. And you did the same exact thing to me last night."

"That doesn't mean you can," Ghirahim replied, scowling. However, his tone held a certain playfulness that permitted Link to stay where he was.

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Medoh sat on its rock as Link left it. Its wings were still spread their full length, and its chest appeared to be puffed out, as if there was another bird-like Divine Beast that it wanted to impress. Laine and Brutela regarded the thing with expressions of awe that quickly faded away as the time passed. The guard at the entrance recognized Link and smiled at him, allowing the group to pass. Almost as soon as his feet touched the boardwalk that made up the village, Link darted up the wooden steps, hand sliding along the railings, completely ignoring the others' calls for him to wait up. His eyes scanned every house he passed; within minutes, he found Teba's. His wife sat on a pillow on the floor, her son in her lap. Both stared at the Rito laying on the hammock next to them, with half of his white feathers still scorched black. The rise and fall of his chest was barely visible, but Link was glad it was there.

He gently knocked his hand against the wood, and the older Rito's head snapped up to look at him.

"You came back," she said, voice hoarse.

Link offered her a weak smile. "Hello."

Careful to avoid waking him, Teba's wife gently lifted her son as she stood and set him back down on the pillow. "I didn't think you would, considering what Teba told me you were trying to do." She gave the sleeping Teba a worried look. "He told me he planned to help, once he recovered. I wanted to talk him out of it, but he's always been stubborn."

Link followed her gaze and attempted to swallow the lump that had formed in his throat. "How is he?"

For a few moments, the silence was heavy.

"I didn't want to admit it, but I think the wound is cursed." She looked up at him. "I've done what I can, but he isn't getting any better. He's hardly even been awake these past few days, and sometimes he's woken up delirious. Shit...I _told_ him to be careful!"

Link winced, half expecting her to blame him for Teba's condition. However, the accusation never came. He carefully stepped inside, spotting Ghirahim out of the corner of his eye climbing up the steps to him. However, he remained just outside the home, leaning against the guardrail and watching them.

"Is there anything I can do to help, miss...?"

"Saki," Teba's wife said, turning her gaze to her son in the chair. "And I'm not sure. There's no telling how long he has until...you know. The best I can think to do is take him to the Zora, but they're so far. I don't doubt that I could make it, but I can't leave Tulin." She motioned to the sleeping Rito boy on the pillow. "He's so young, and it's dangerous out there with the monsters and Yiga and all the guardians…"

"I can do it," Link said. "It's my fault he's like this in the first place."

"I doubt you could have done much to prevent it." Saki smiled, but it was strained. "But alright. He trusts you, so I will too. I'll tell him tomorrow. Thank you."

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Link sat on one of the bridges that connected the rocks jutting out of the lake to Rito Village, where he had a decent view of Medoh. His legs hung over the sides, swinging as he attempted to figure out Medoh.

He glanced down at the Sheikah Slate, then up at Medoh, and gingerly pressed a button on the screen. He'd only recently started using it when he managed to move Naboris, so the way the screen responded to his touch baffled him. Still, he had business to do with it, so he tried to keep his wonder in check.

Medoh let out a screech, and its ginormous eye began to glow. On its face were two prong-like structures, and these prongs spread apart, revealing a long rod.

On the Sheikah Slate, the screen went black as the words SET TARGET appeared.

 _How the hell am I supposed to do that?_

A chime rang behind him. When Link glanced over his shoulder, he saw Ghirahim standing behind him with a scowl. "Can't you make that thing shut up?"

"I'm _trying_ to figure it out," Link snapped.

"Figure it out quietly!"

"I _can't_ figure it out quietly when the thing screeches every time I press a damn button." Link looked down at his Sheikah Slate, trying to figure out what to do. "Would you prefer for me to do it in the dead of night?"

He felt Ghirahim's eyes burning into his back.

Link let out a sigh and stood up, quickly gasping as his boots appeared on the screen. "Whoa...what's this?"

"What's what?" Ghirahim peered over his shoulder. "It's your feet. I wouldn't recommend pressing that target button right now."

"But...like...how?" He tilted the slate up, eyes widening as he peered at the sky and Rito Village through the camera.

"Do I look like I know? Don't you dare point that thing at me!"

Link turned the camera toward Hyrule Castle, trying to hold back his curiosity. If he did the wrong thing he could accidentally blow up everything in the immediate vicinity. Being as cautious as humanly possible, he pointed the camera at Hyrule Castle. After waiting a few moments, the slate beeped and the words TARGET SET appeared on the screen, then disappeared. Medoh screeched, turning its huge body to face the castle nearly halfway across Hyrule. The word PREPARING appeared, and a small bar underneath it. For now, Link put the Sheikah Slate away.

"So have you figured that thing out?" Ghirahim asked.

"Kind of. It's tricky when it comes to moving them." He motioned toward Medoh.

Ghirahim grinned. "I'm impressed. The Champions were properly taught, but from the looks of it you're able to learn these on your own."

"I think whoever made these made sure they were safe." Link looked up at Medoh. The rod poking out of the Divine Beast's "mouth" was beginning to glow—it was, indeed, preparing for an attack on Hyrule Castle. He hoped it wouldn't fire automatically. "If it wasn't for that, I think this entire area would be destroyed by now."

"It's still quite impressive. I think Revali had more trouble learning this than you."

Link tilted his head. "Did you know him?"

Ghirahim averted his eyes as a brief silence fell between them. "I suppose you could have called us friends. I wasn't as close to him as I was to you, but we still met up and had a chat or sparred. He was quite skilled at sword fighting, though not nearly as good as he was with a bow."

"What about the others?"

"Other than you, Revali was the only one willing to even speak to me. I'm sure the only thing you can remember is that he was an ass, but that was only because he was jealous of you. Very jealous. He was a lot kinder than Zelda ever was." Ghirahim looked up at Medoh, his expression gradually turning to one of sorrow. "It's a shame to think he's dead now..."

Link followed his gaze, lips pursed. He didn't doubt for a moment that the Calamity had taken its toll on the demon, no matter how much he tried to hide it by acting like such things simply weren't important. "I'm sorry for all of this."

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Yay for shitty chapter endings. The whole scene is probably shitty anyway but oh well


	11. Omen of the Blood Moon

It had been almost a week since the conversation near Medoh, yet Link's apology rang painfully in the back of his mind. He had to be thankful that Medoh had decided to let out its loudest screech yet, allowing Ghirahim to cut the conversation short, even if the stupid thing left him with a pounding headache and ringing ears for the rest of the day. _"Armed and loaded," Link said, reading off the Sheikah Slat_ _e._

He couldn't understand why Link would even apologize, for one thing. He thought that everything had been resolved within the temple that one night before they went into Gerudo Town. And it almost pained him, the way he said it. _"I'm sorry for everything."_ It brought him back to a hundred years ago, when he'd been able to hear Zelda's desperate cries over the torrent of rain, and when he finally found her, and he saw Link's battered body clutched tightly in her arms, each breath he took strained.

Ghirahim scowled, pushing the memory away. He didn't need to dwell on such things; they were no longer important. As far as he was concerned, they would never happen again.

Link sat upon his horse, Teba slumped against his back, wings slack around the Hylian's waistline, fast asleep. He hadn't been awake in days, and it wasn't difficult for _anyone_ to tell that Link was distraught over it. He'd tried to convince them to travel at least some in the night. But he should have known that they couldn't do that—if they didn't find a safe place to sleep, within moments a horde of stal monsters would overwhelm them. And, earlier on in their trip, he tried to get them to pass through Central Hyrule.

"Are you fucking _mad?_ " Ghirahim had snarled in reply. "We'll get killed before we can even say our last goodbyes!"

Now, however, the hero was silent, his eyes drooping as he stared ahead at the steep, red cliffs, jungles, and raging waterfalls of the Faron region. Already the humidity was beginning to rise, and the storm clouds were collecting overhead, the flickering lights within them promising the umpteenth storm that week. the quickly approaching night only made it more ominous.

Eventually, the group saw the ghostly light of a fire break through the eerie darkness of the fog and the distant rumble of thunder that announced the oncoming storm.

"Dismount your horse," Ghirahim said, voice hushed as he looked up at Link, then turned back to glance at Brutela and Laine. "I have my suspicions."

Link frowned, looking up at the camp that had begun to take shape. None of the campers had a horse; then again, if it wasn't for the road that cut directly through the Faron region, he doubted they would have been much use. "Suspicions?" he said, voice hushed as well.

"Don't doubt me. I bet that horse would bolt if a fly got too close to its face."

Link wasn't keen on the idea, but obliged, sliding off Chocolate and offering him a pat on the neck. Laine and Brutela did the same. Carefully, Laine grabbed Teba off the horse, holding him with relative ease and insisting it was safer.

Brutela looked at Ghirahim, her frown matching Link's own."Who do you think they are?" she said just as quietly as Link and Ghirahim.

"Yiga, of course! What do you think? Demise?"

Link was the only one that didn't look completely baffled by Ghirahim's response. He vaguely recalled his first glimpse of Hyrule Castle, where the place had made him think of Demise as not only a concept, but as a _person,_ someone who had once existed perhaps thousands and thousands of years before his time.

He had thought nothing of it, almost _forgotten_ it, until Ghirahim mentioned it as not a concept, but a name.

 _I'll ask him about it later._

As they came closer, a group of people surrounding a fire emerged from the fog, their figures hunched over, their hair hanging in their faces. Each of them had a strange, circular weapons that leaned against a fallen log. Spikes protruded the outer part. the inside was a blade as well, as if they were meant to slit a caught animal's throat.

Link shuddered, knowing that the injury from one of those wouldn't be pretty. Brutela furrowed her brows.

One of the campers looked up at the sound of approaching footsteps, and a wild smile spread across her face as she stood up from her perch on the ground. Link was unnerved by how wretched the smile looked with the jet black hair framed around her ghostly pale face. As she began to wave to them, Ghirahim placed a hand on Link's back, urging him to keep going.

"Hey!" she called. "Not many people come here, with there being so many monsters and storms and all. What're you guys doing out here? Looking for the dragon?"

The woman, along with her friends, moved out in the middle of the road. While their smiles were kind and relaxed, Link's heart thudded in his chest. The group consisted of seven people, nearly two-to-one, and save for the pale woman, each and every one of them had muscles that could almost outdo Laine and Brutela's.

They held their weapons at their sides.

"Hey, don't ignore us," the woman said, that smile still stretched across her face. "I mean, as cute as you two are, you still have to learn manners."

Her eyes held a dangerous glint as she noticed Ghirahim's amused expression. Though Brutela and Laine stopped, their faces ten times paler than normal, Ghirahim continued forward with an air of confidence.

"It appears you do as well," he said, tilting his chin up slightly. "It's rude to block the road."

She tilted her head, the smile becoming sinister. "It is also rude to run around with the murderer of our Master Kohga rather than turn him in to us."

Within moments, Ghirahim snapped his fingers, and the woman let out a choked cry as blood spilled from a gash in her throat. In Ghirahim's hands was the black rapier that Link found intimidating despite the rust collecting at its edges and in the woman's throat was a dagger that vanished into diamonds.

Link yanked out his own weapon as a Yiga lunged straight toward him.

As expected, Chocolate let out a squeal, taking off to Hylia-knows-where to get away from the violence.

Link clumsily avoided a swing of the circular weapon that was meant for his own throat. The man held up one arm in a defensive position, the one with the weapon held in front of it in a sort of shitty shield. Link ducked under another attack, lunging toward the man, shoving him back with a hand on his chest. The scimitar sliced easily through his throat.

Link hardly considered that he'd just killed a man, even if that man was part of the enemy. But he would pay later, when his thoughts weren't going a thousand miles an hour.

Letting out an anguished cry at her fallen comrade, another woman within the group assaulted him, swinging her weapon across his chest and shoulders before he could even respond.

Just as he thought it would, the injury sent pain blossoming through his entire torso and eliciting a choked cry from him. He had to be thankful that he had begun moving to avoid it, or perhaps the injury would be a lot worse.

He jumped toward her, swinging the scimitar at her. She deftly avoided it, her weapon held up in front of her chest. As Link swung at her once more, she vanished.

By some intuition from thousands of years before, Link whipped around to face her just as she appeared, stabbing the scimitar through her gut. Then, as she stumbled back and away from him, he sliced her throat, too.

Behind him, the clamor slowly died down. Laine still held Teba, though he had his own bloodied scimitar in his hand. Brutela stood over the two Yiga she had killed, panting heavily.

"Well, it seems you two are competent after all," Ghirahim said, then turned to Link. "I suppose I should be worrying about you instead. If that shirt wasn't ruined before, it is now."

Link scowled, pressing a hand on the wound. Indeed, the blood was staining his Champion's shirt. "No shit."

"What should we do with the bodies?" Laine asked. "It's not like we have the time to bury them, do we? And we can't just leave them out here for anyone to find." He glanced toward the fire. "Maybe we could burn them?"

"Just dump them in the forest somewhere off the path," Ghirahim said. "I think the animals and rain and heat will get to them in no time. It already looks like a blood bath, anyway."

Link grimaced at the bodies of the group of Yiga. Ghirahim had taken down three, including the woman, with ease; he didn't even have a scratch on his pristine skin. He began toward the woman to help, but Ghirahim grabbed his arm to stop him.

"They can do that. Look at you—your shoulder is _gushing_ blood."

Link scowled, allowing Ghirahim to take him back to the camp. There were still supplies and food scattered about the area, but most of it was bananas.

"How did you take those Yiga down so fast?" Link asked. "It doesn't even look like you got hurt."

Ghirahim held up his sword as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "I mean, what else can I kill them with? My facial expressions?"

"If you could do that, I'm sure Riju would be dead."

Ghirahim laughed bitterly. "Of course. But, you have to admit that her decision to go with us was stupid."

"She was just trying to help. It wasn't as if she wound up being a problem." Link frowned and averted his eyes. "Anyway, I was wondering...if you could...you know...train me. Teach me how to do things like you do."

Ghirahim raised a brow. "As in magic? Swordplay? Things like that?"  
Link nodded.

"I suppose I can _try._ I damn near skewered the last person I tried to teach anything to, but then again they were utterly, totally, and completely _stupid_ and were probably beyond my help. I still wonder if I can even teach you anything."

"Your advice about going for the eye has yet to fail."

Ghirahim grinned down at him. "I would hope not. The eyes are the weakest part of the body. The only way such a strategy wouldn't work is if the enemy you were facing either had eyes of steel or didn't have eyes at all. I suppose I can attempt to help. But not tonight."

Link sat down on one of the logs around the campfire as Ghirahim pulled his bag closer and pulled out what little medical supplies the Gerudo provided. He tried to act as if he knew what he was doing, but Link was sure that if it wasn't for the lack of things that he could confuse for something else, his shoulder would probably be worse off than before.

The rest of the group soon settled around the fire. Link moved under the tent, and within moments Ghirahim had laid across his lap. Both of them watched as the sun sunk below the horizon and the time for the moon to come out approached. Brutela was beside Link, straining her neck to look at the sky. Laine simply sat outside where he could see it better.

Their eyes were glued to the sky as if it would tell them the meaning of life. the only people in Hyrule that were not looking up at the sky that night were those that were dying, those too weak to stand and look, and the unconscious. Even the spirits residing within the ruins of the kingdom looked up with dread. the spirit of Hyrule's King Rhoam was among them, his spirit imprisoned within a body that was supposed to be long dead. the heart of Hyrule itself seemed to be looking up, its tall towers reaching for the sky.

The moon never rose, never illuminated the clouds that cloaked the sky. As the night began to set in, the sky took on a reddish and purplish hue. And then everyone saw it—the thing they were looking for. Tendrils of red and black streaked from something from just below the horizon, then the thing came into view, the moon, red as the blood of Ganon's victims. It rose high above Hyrule, staining the sky red, and in the distance Ganon let out a terrible roar.

There it was, the thing everyone hoped they would never see. the thing that had rose above Hyrule exactly three days before the Great Calamity over a century before, instilling fear into the heart of all who saw it. Suddenly Link could remember it clear as day—Ghirahim had been beside him in his room, both of them standing at the open window, their fingers intertwined, locked tightly into each other's grasp. At the time, few had known that it had risen above Hyrule, and those that did said that it announced the end of days. A thought had occurred to him that day, a thought that chilled him to the bone as he recalled it now.

 _the Blood Moon rises once again._

Link gripped Ghirahim's hand tightly.

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Ghirahim lead the way as they clambered through the thick rain forest, the dark shadows of trees falling over them, allowing little light to fall over the pair's faces. Laine and Brutela had insisted on remaining behind with the horses, or at least what was left of them.

The air was oppressive. Neither of them spoke of the Blood Moon, but they knew what it meant. They didn't have much time. Three days, if memory served them correctly.

Would they have the time to stop it even if they dropped everything and get to Hyrule Castle?

If Ganon escaped, would Hyrule be able to take it? Would _the world_ be able to take it?

"You know, this place used to be beautiful," Ghirahim said, trying to distract them from thoughts of the night before. "It wasn't so fucking hot and humid and stormy. It was a _normal_ forest, with the remains of the Hylian civilization left everywhere. Of course, this was before Hylians even left their little rock in the sky."

"That must have been a long time ago," Link said, hardly interested.

"Sure as hell was. I miss those days, even if I nearly went mad because I had no one to talk to."

Ghirahim led him across a simple, rotting wooden bridge that creaked loudly in protest to any weight put on it. Link doubted it could support much more than himself and Ghirahim.

"I hope you know your way back," Link said as he glanced back the way they came. Aside from the small river and the wooden bridge, all he could see was the endless rain forest.

"After saving your life, I would think you would trust me. I suppose not."

Link shot him a skeptical look. "Do you even know if the temple is here?"

Ghirahim scoffed. "Why else would there be a path and even a bridge?"

Link shrugged. "If this person you talked to knows about it, then I doubt it would be at the end of a barely visible path deep within Faron Woods."

Ghirahim rolled his eyes, grabbing his wrist when Link began to fall behind. "Her name is Princess Ziya. You may as well remember it, for you'll be meeting her once we fix this whole thing with healing magic. And she wasn't absolutely certain—a lot of books about such things said there were temples dedicated to the dragons, but she also said the temples were likely destroyed in the Calamity, just like the Temple of Time you saw when you woke up. I would hope not, but if they are, we'll make do with what we have. Anyway, you visited your fair share of temples when you were traveling with Zelda. This is the way to one of them."

"Oh...I see." For a few moments, Link retreated to his thoughts. However, he recalled what he'd planned to ask Ghirahim and immediately said, "I wanna ask you something."

Ghirahim twisted slightly so that he could see Link over the back of his cape. "What?"

"Who was Demise? You mentioned them yesterday."

Link nearly sent both of them tumbling on the ground when Ghirahim came to a sudden, complete stop, his expression one of utter shock.

"What?" Link said.

"You're not supposed to know about him. _At all._ "

"I _don't_ know about him. That's why I'm asking you. Right after I woke up...I looked up at Hyrule Castle and thought of him. Then you mentioned him. So now I wanna know who he is. And why his name is just another word for death."

Ghirahim let out a sigh and shook his head as he continued on. "That's most certainly odd, but I suppose it doesn't mean anything. Well, Link, King Demise is an ancestor of Ganon and my creator and master. He's dead, but I learned a _while_ ago that part of his spirit is still contained within Ganon. I suppose it's part of his curse. If you know anything about Ganon, I think you can figure out the reason for his name."

Link frowned, taking a moment to process his words. "So you mean you're supposed to be on Ganon's side?"  
Ghirahim nodded. "But I'm not. That doesn't mean I'll live much longer than he will. When Ganon dies, I'll probably just break apart and die."

Link frowned. "But why?"

"I'm...bound to Demise, and since Demise is within Ganon, I'm alive. But when they're destroyed I'm just gonna die." Ghirahim ran a hand through his hair, hoping Link wouldn't ask him to explain further. He didn't need to complicate things by telling him he was a sword spirit as well.

Link didn't. He simply furrowed a brow, now afraid of taking down Ganon. While Ganon had never been killed in the past, what if it died now? Ghirahim made up most of his place in the world; he wasn't sure _where_ he would be had the demon not appeared.

But of course, he was a demon, and in the end, they couldn't live in harmony, could they?

Eventually, they came across a dais on the ground depicting a symbol that resembled the moon. Ghirahim, shocked that Link didn't know what it was, had said that it was the Symbol of Farore, the Goddess of Life and Courage. Not long after, they passed under the ruins of a stone archway that had been broken and torn apart by a large tree, and it was here that they reached a rocky cliff that reached as high as Link could see. Embedded into the cliff was a doorway with carvings of the goddesses around the edges. At the top was the Triforce; though most his memory was gone, Link recognized the golden relic with ease. Everywhere you looked within Hyrule Castle, those sacred triangles had been depicted in a detailed painting, carved into the walls, sewn into the rugs. And over the throne room, a replica of the golden relic hung on the wall.

"This is it," Ghirahim said. "You'll have to go alone. A place as sacred as this wouldn't react kindly to my presence."

Link looked at the stone doorway. If it weren't for the dais and the archway, Link would have never thought that a temple rested within this cliff. He turned his head to Ghirahim.

"You said I came here?"

Ghirahim nodded. "Once. With Zelda. You only came because you were her bodyguard." He motioned toward the doorway. "Now are you going in or not? You need to hurry; you saw it last night. I'll wait here. Just don't take too long."

Link nodded, offering him a smile before he stepped through the doorway. A strange chill swept over him, and when he glanced back toward the doorway, he saw the faint shimmer of a barrier.

 _I guess that's what he meant when he said this place wouldn't react kindly to his presence._

Brushing the thought off, Link turned back to the darkness beyond. Almost immediately, the stone dropped into steps. the flickering orange glow of torches was the only light. Carefully, Link descended these steps into a narrow hall that quickly opened up to a large room with a domed ceiling.

It was evident that this temple was dedicated to a particular piece of the Triforce, though to what piece Link couldn't remember.

There were three doorways. To his right, Link could see from where he stood that there was a church with the stone seats no doubt lined up in front of a pedestal. To his left were darker hallways. the doorway directly ahead of him, on the other side of the room, had steps leading up to it. Four torches lined these steps, and above the doorway was, once again, the golden relic. Carved around its bottom right was a woman with great feathery wings that stretched along the wall.

On the walls on either side of him were murals of the past legends, each mural depicting a Triforce somewhere within the intricate carvings and fading paint. the one to the right had to be the Hero of the Sky. He just knew it, despite knowing nothing of the legend that had most likely been forgotten anyway. It depicted a hero with a strange hat holding the Blade of Evil's Bane, and behind him loomed an army of demons. Above him, in the sky, surrounded by clouds, was a large island with the sun shining onto it. He knew he knew the name of that island from somewhere deep within the recesses of his memory, but he couldn't grasp it.

Hadn't Ghirahim mentioned something about predecessors back when he gave Link his golden advice? Perhaps he was trying to recall something from _their_ life. He doubted he and Zelda lived up there a hundred years ago.

To his left was the Hero of Time. He too held the sacred blade, but in his mural there was no island and no demons. Only a castle loomed in the distance.

Link headed toward the door directly ahead, with the woman and the Triforce. However, just as he began descending the steps, the chill as a presence touched his mind made him stop in his tracks.

 _Reclaim time's favor,_ was all it said.

What? the words struck Link as meaningless; appearing to be perhaps twenty to twenty five yet in reality being over a century old, he thought he would have already had time's favor.

A loud beep made him turn his head. Behind him was a thing that looked a lot like a guardian, but wasn't quite one. It had the eye of one, sure, but unlike a guardian it had arms and legs.

What the hell did this have to do with "reclaiming time's favor"?

Link darted out of the way as the guardian thing shot a beam at him. He jumped toward it, going toward the eye like he usually did. However, the guardian thing batted him out of the way as if he were a fly.

 _Reclaim time's favor._

What the _hell_ did this have to do with a fucking guardian?

Link pulled out his bow and shot an arrow. the guardian thing easily blocked it. It lunged toward him, hinges squeaking and squealing as its body spun madly. Link narrowly avoided its unbearably hot weapons.

Unlike the other guardians, which glowed purple, this one glowed blue. Link doubted that any wound it inflicted couldn't be healed, but he also wasn't interested in getting hurt in the first place.

 _Reclaim time's favor._

From when? A hundred years ago? Did he have time's favor then?

Link narrowly avoided an attack meant for his face. He didn't bother pulling out his shield—it was next to useless against a guardian.

 _Reclaim time's favor._

 _Just shut up!_ Link thought furiously, ducking behind a pillar.

the thing was too damned fast. If he could slow it down somehow…

Oh.

Still, how was he to slow down time? How did you earn an abstract, human-created concept's favor?

 _It didn't mean literally, dumbass._

Had he been able to do it a hundred years ago? Or ever?

A small explosion just inches away from Link drove him from his thoughts. He scrambled away, darting across the room. There weren't many places to hide, other than two intricate pillars.

Or in one of the other rooms.

He ran into the church, ducking under one of the chairs. He could only hope that the guardian didn't find him so quickly.

So, how did you go about getting time to slow itself down?

He couldn't think of any way. Fucking wonderful.

The guardian let out a loud beep as it spotted its prey and fired a beam. Link let out a cry as he narrowly avoided being turned into cooked meat and jumped over the chairs. the guardian followed after him, climbing over the stone much more easily than he could. Link hopped up the steps to the podium, lingering behind it for a few moments in a feeble attempt to provide himself with protection against the rapidly approaching threat. He found himself being reminded of Medoh. As the guardian got closer, he ran and leaped off the stage, quietly wishing that he could remember more about himself than little snippets of his relationship with people that were either dead or insignificant.

Almost as soon as he was airborne, he found himself almost suspended, able to move freely yet falling much, _much_ more slowly than he would have expected. Behind him, the guardian had come to a near-complete stop, its eye still trained on him but its movements much slower than his.

Taking the opportunity, Link pulled out his bow, nocking an arrow and sending it straight into the eye. the sound of shattering glass seemed to surround him as the flow of time sped up again and Link tumbled to the floor, the guardian simply falling over on the stage.

 _Reclaim time's favor._

Link had absolutely no idea what the hell he did, but that appeared to be the solution. Breathing heavily, he got to his feet and headed back toward the main room, where he started back up the steps toward the door.

On the other side was a cavern that contained a spring. A stone path and steps led up to an altar that jutted out into the spring. As Link climbed them, the statue of the Goddess Hylia rose into view, a permanent smile carved into her soft, rounded face. Her cracked and weathered robes draped around her as she held her nearly shapeless hands to her chest, quietly welcoming anyone that approached her.

He could recall the ritual that Zelda had performed here—where she played the ancient song dedicated to the Goddess Hylia and her hero, and then began to pray for her to awaken the power that slept within her. However, he suspected he only payed attention to the rituals when she sang, for, aside from that, his memory of it was blurry.

He was sure that the decaying, moss-covered goddess had seen better days.

Link waded through the shallow waters, pushing aside moss and algae, until he reached the statue. He placed a hand on her stone base, unsure of what to do now but considering that far from important.

Then he heard it, a roar from far above. Link looked up, straining his neck, and there he saw the dragon Farosh, its simple presence bathing the room in a bright green light that made the waters glitter. It paused as it wound its large body around the room, its gaze fixated on the Hylian that was close enough to see every scale, every claw, every tooth, every ridge on its horn.

 _You carry cursed wounds,_ the dragon said, its presence gently brushing against his mind. _As I am, I cannot heal it. I will assist the Hylia descendant and buy you time, but that is the most I can do. If it is power you seek, look upon the back of your hand. If it is healing you seek, the curse resides within Lanayru's mountain. For now, go. Rescue my sister._

With that, a huge portal opened in the ceiling and the dragon flew through it, vanishing into another realm.

Link hesitated, but turned on his heel, wading through the water and climbing onto the stone altar. With that, he headed toward the exit, considering the dragon's brief words.

 _If it is power you seek, look upon the back of your hand._

He first checked his left, then his right. And there he saw the three triangles, the one on the bottom right glowing slightly. His entire right hand tingled.

Just as he said he would be, Ghirahim stood at the top, peering down at Link as he ascended the steps.

"Well?" he called.

"the curse is in Lanayru," Link replied.

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Reading over this I think I should start writing while I'm half asleep more because it seems to come out better.


	12. Guardian in Fort Hateno

Holy God, I hit a really shitty writer's block. Then I just was slacking off and playing Hyrule Warriors, which tends to consume me and make me not do things I normally would.

I'm sorry this took so long. It's probably shitty.

Also I need to fix Revali's dialogue back in like Ch 5 because Revali never actually said Link's name oops

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When Link first heard the yells for help, they were so faint and distant that he dismissed it, thinking he was hearing things. Then, seconds later, Ghirahim gave him an expectant glance, and he knew that he heard them too.

"Someone's yelling for help," Link said, pulling out his scimitar and rushing forward.

As he went around a bend in the road, he spotted the source of all of the yelling: it was a Rito with bright blue feathers that were impossible to miss even in the foggy forest. Though one would have thought he would, the Rito carried no weapon. Somehow he doubted that he intended to travel by foot, and was therefore rarely in danger. His assailants were two Yiga soldiers, though they were heavily clad in the uniform and wearing their mask, so Link couldn't determine much from their appearance.

Before Link could even move forward, Laine had already dispatched a Yiga with his own scimitar and turned to evade an attack from another. Brutela was quick to completely obliterate the Yiga with a burst of white hot flames.

"Are you alright?" Laine asked, turning to the Rito.

The Rito nodded, slowly relaxing. Link noted a minor wound in his upper wing and a few sky blue feathers lying about. "Thank you. They probably would've eaten me for dinner if you hadn't stepped in."

Then the Rito noticed Link approaching from behind, Ghirahim right behind him.

"Your shirt..." he said. "But you can't be… The Hylian Champion?"

Laine and Brutela seemed completely shocked by the Rito's words; Link hadn't told them. The only reason Teba found out was because of Revali's spirit. Link's grip on his weapon tightened as he took a step back. Ghirahim was suddenly at his side, eyes narrowed with suspicion. Before Link could open his mouth he was already halfway through his sentence, and his tone was far from friendly.

"You know, it's kind of funny that only the Yiga and a handful of twigs know Link for who he is." Ghirahim stepped toward the Rito, who was already infuriated by his words. Even if he didn't know what the demon meant by twigs. "I wonder..."

"If he was a Yiga, he would have attacked us by now," Link said quickly, before the situation could escalate. "At least, I'm pretty sure."

"And I was just _attacked_ by the Yiga!" the Rito added. "What kind of ass do you have to be to accuse me of _being_ one?"

Ghirahim scowled at the idea that he was wrong, instead changing the subject. "We don't know your name."

Though the Rito still glowered at him, he seemed more than willing to change the subject. "Kass. My teacher was Gilian. I would think you knew him." Now that he wasn't _as_ angry, Kass had an elegant voice that seemed to be _made_ for singing. Even the annoyance in his voice seemed to add to the elegance of it.

Kass gave him an expectant look. Link could only shake his head.

"I don't remember much of anything before waking up from my power nap," Link said, taking a step back and averting this eyes.

"Ah...I see." Kass frowned and picked up his bag. "To think I would actually meet you in person… Despite what my teacher told me about his tribe's ancient technology and what they did a hundred years ago, you spent so long taking that nap of yours that I thought you were surely dead."

Link glanced back at the others to find that they were all watching him intently, and instantly felt a small pang in his chest. He hadn't told them anything of who he was other than his name, and now this Rito was revealing most of it to them.

Kass adjusted his bag on his shoulder, speaking loudly to get Link's attention one more. "You know, maybe you should wear something other than that tunic. I'm sure it's valuable to you, but it's bound to attract the Yiga to you like flies. And you should probably wash it anyway."

Link unconsciously fingered the ends of his shirt. He couldn't exactly wear anything _but_ that-unless he sucked up his pride and wore the outfit he used to get into Gerudo Town. The outfit the Rito gave him was much too hot for this environment. Kass frowned at the lack of a response, but said nothing of it.

"Anyway, would it be fine if I traveled with you for a bit? At least until we're out of the forest. It's too dangerous to fly here with all the storms."

Ghirahim opened his mouth to speak, but all he could get out was "no" before Link stomped on his foot hard enough to break a few toes—if Ghirahim had been human, of course.

While the demon grunted in pain, Link quickly nodded, motioning toward their group.

Kass frowned at the action, but shook his head to brush it off. "Thank you. I promise I'll try not to be too much trouble."

Ghirahim scowled at him.

"Loosen up," Link muttered, lightly elbowing the demon.

They continued on as the sun continued to rise higher and higher into the sky until it was at its peak.

Earlier that morning, they had a small argument about where they would go. Link and Brutela were insistent on going to Kakariko Village; while it was farther from Mount Lanayru, where the Spring of Wisdom lay, it had a road that would take them directly to it.

However, Hateno Village was closer, sitting right at the base of the sacred mountain. As well as that, there was a laboratory dedicated to ancient Sheikah technology, so perhaps they could see about weapons that they could use against any guardian they came across, though so far they only spotted one. They had been quick to flee, of course. Laine lived there as well, so he could get something better to wear than a simple tank top and shorts, and they could get more supplies. While they wouldn't have a road to Lanayru, they would be able to climb the side of the mountain easy. Ghirahim, having a distinct hatred toward the Sheikah, sided with him. So it was up to Brutela or Link to cave.

Link was too stubborn for that. It was Brutela who caved and joined them.

They had yet to find Chocolate, so Link walked beside Ghirahim. It was exhausting, but he figured he would get used to it.

That night, it was quiet. Hardly any light managed to reach through the trees and touch their camp, leaving them in uneasy darkness.

Kass, Laine, and Brutela had went to sleep early—the Yiga flourished in the area, and the entire group (save for Kass, if we're to be honest here) was exhausted from having to drive them off. It seemed that it was as Kass had said; Link's shirt was like a magnet for the Yiga.

Ghirahim sat beside Link, an arm thrown over his shoulder. Link had noticed the demon's almost casual affection a while ago, and had grown almost indifferent to it. Still, he couldn't help but wonder if there was something a little more going on between them a century before.

 _The only person I've seen you laugh with is...Ghirahim._ Zelda had said that. Clearly Ghirahim had been special to him.

"You look awful," Ghirahim said, breaking the silence. His hand moved down to press at Link's side and rib cage. "And you're skinny."

"I'm not any thinner than when I woke up," Link replied, though he wasn't sure if that was actually true. "And, you know, maybe I look awful because I'm _exhausted._ "

"Then go to sleep. Gods, though, it seems like you Hylians spend half your life doing that."

"I can't." Link averted his eyes. "I'm thinking."

"Then think in your sleep."

"That's not how sleep works." Link shook his head and looked out at the fog enshrouded forest. "This place feels really familiar."

Ghirahim paused to consider Link's words and the area around him. "Well, we _did_ meet somewhere around here."

"We did?" Link said, eyes lighting up with excitement as he turned to look at him. "Where? This doesn't strike me as the type of place you would be."

"Just because, unlike you, I try not to look like a dump doesn't mean I wouldn't be here. Although, I have to admit this place is really nasty with all the bugs and frogs."

"I'm just saying… But can you show me where? Or do you remember?"

For a few agonizing seconds, Ghirahim didn't answer, and Link found himself losing hope of the other man telling him any more of the subject. But then he stood up and said, "Fine. Come on."

Excitedly, Link jumped to his feet and followed after him, a visible spring in his step. He only lost that spring ever so slightly when he realized that they were going off the road, well into the thick of the foggy forest. Why would he go there?

Then they reached a clearing, where it was evident something sacred had once stood. Several fallen pillars surrounded a statue so eroded that Link couldn't tell what it was. Rubble lay about this ancient statue, now overgrowing with moss and laced with spidery cracks. It was clear that an altar had once led up to it, but some time before that altar had been destroyed. Nearby was the ruins of a temple, the skeleton of the ancient structure eerie in the foggy night.

Anger nearly flooded his veins when he saw the remains of guardians, thankfully all of them inactive and dead. Ganon had attacked here, too, just for the sake of destroying something, and it pissed him off.

Then, one of the pillars in particular caught his attention, and the memory flooded back to him...

/

"Honestly, this area is so beautiful," Princess Zelda said, holding up the Sheikah Slate that had been found a few weeks before. At the time, Link didn't know what it was, and he honestly didn't care, so he allowed her to do her thing so long as she didn't kill him with it.

They were at the edges of Faron, just leaving the area to return to Hyrule Castle. This was her first time setting out for the springs for prayer, and she seemed more depressed than ever with her prayers for her sacred power to awaken being left unanswered. The only time Link ever saw her in a good mood was when she got a chance to mess with that thing of hers. Once she nearly skewered him with his own sword upon discovering its magnesis ability.

For now, he decided it was safe to leave her alone. He was already exhausted from groups of Yiga coming after the both of them, but he doubted she was the one they wanted. Not since the Master Sword chose him to wield it.

He tapped her shoulder, motioning toward the woods to tell her he was going to explore the area. He didn't plan on going far.

"Oh, have fun," she said, sounding almost relieved. "This place is covered in ancient ruins. Perhaps you'll find something. But try to be back before dinner. I hope you enjoy my cooking." She offered him a faint smile, which he returned.

With a nod, Link headed off into the thicker part of the forest. This particular area of it had a reputation; he'd heard from people passing through that they'd found ruins older than Hyrule itself, and that they'd been able to feel an...evil presence. At the time, he had been curious about it and now was his only chance to investigate. He couldn't just pick up and leave the castle anymore now that Princess Zelda was his responsibility.

If there _was_ something like that, he hoped he wouldn't wind up having to fight it. He was tired; just as it was in the present a hundred years later, the Yiga flourished here, most of them possessed by Malice.

Link cut his way through the thick underbrush and clambered over fallen trees, continuing deeper into the slowly darkening forest, the fog further obscuring his view.

He eventually stumbled over a fallen pillar, and that was how he knew he reached something.

He looked up, ignoring the pain in his knees and hands and the millionth rip that had appeared in the legs of his pants, able to make out a faint, unrecognizable shape. The statue. And the temple remains were nearby, much more intact than in the present.

He hoped it wasn't almost time for dinner; he was sure he'd come across something more interesting than the ancient pillars they'd seen thus far.

And he was sure he could feel that evil presence the others had been talking about.

He looked around, then headed for the ruins of the temple, careful not to trip over any more of the rubble.

Then he felt it, a faint tug like his own mind was trying to put him on a leash. He followed it only out of curiosity, now on his guard. It pulled him away from the temple, toward the pillars and rubble surrounding the statue.

A particular pile of rubble caught his eye. He headed toward the shattered stone, where some time before another pillar had collapsed.

His mind told him to simply leave it be. His body didn't listen. He pulled at the heavy stone, barely able to move it with his own strength despite training every day and eating like a horse. It seemed to be rooted into the ground by several plants, this being proven by the plants he brought with it when he finally managed to move the damned thing out of the way.

Then he turned to look behind it. He could see it, dark and half-buried in the mud that had collected over the years. Various plants had decided it was a good idea to wrap themselves around the sharp blade that seemed almost familiar.

The design itself was enough to make him very, very afraid for whoever may have crossed the person that wielded the sword. It was large, almost too big for Link himself to wield, with spikes protruding from its sides to make sure the victim felt nothing but pain in his last moments.

Carefully, almost afraid to touch the damned thing, he dug at the mud, eventually wrenching it free and almost immediately dropping it, allowing it to fall with a loud clatter.

Though he was sure it should have been useless with rust eating at the blade and perhaps even broken with the weight of the stone it had been buried under, the sword looked as new as the day it was made and had begun to pulse with a faint, orange light. He backed away a step or two, unsure of what was happening.

The Master Sword did something similar, didn't it? When it was around Lynels or things like that, it had a faint, blue glow. Was this sword responding to his presence?

This blade _did_ look like the Master Sword. Perhaps if it had been made by Satan rather than by the Goddesses, it would have looked like that.

The sword suddenly emitted a bright, orange light that cut off his thoughts. He stumbled back, eyes wide with surprise.

Abruptly, the light faded. The sword was gone, replaced by a tall, buff man with white hair…

No, it wasn't hair. The hair was metal. So was the rest of him. And he was fucking nude.

Baffled beyond any sort of response, Link simply stared as the man turned to look up at him, for a few moments not saying anything.

"Link?" he finally said, still trying to process the world around him. He sat up, squinting at the shorter, normal, and _clothed_ man. "Wait...no..." He stood up, entire being suddenly springing to life with a realization Link didn't yet know about. "Fucking _shit!_ "

Although at the time Link was sure he would have let no one see such a transformation, a cloud of diamonds engulfed the weird man, and he took on a more familiar form to the Link a century later.

/

Whatever else Ghirahim had said, Link couldn't remember. He doubted he paid attention to much more than simply Ghirahim himself, and the rest of that day was a blur.

The present Ghirahim was not made of metal, at least from what Link could see. He stood against the statue, watching Link in silence. Link turned to him.

"What _are_ you?"

"A sword spirit," Ghirahim said. "I inhabit a sword—and the fate of that sword determines my own fate. As does the fate of my master. I sort of explained it yesterday."

Link frowned. "If that's the case, then why're you helping _me_?"

The silence that followed was painful. Link feared that Ghirahim really wasn't trying to help, that he was using him or was trying to get close to him so that he could kill him.

"I follow the strongest," Ghirahim finally said. It sounded like a weak excuse.

"Then wouldn't you be with Ganon now?"

He scoffed. "You think _anyone_ can handle an entire army of guardians? Certainly not me, and not Ganon. Apparently not you either. The Sheikah created those things to obliterate anything in their path. I'm surprised there was even a Link to stick in the Shrine of Resurrection and a Zelda that could go to the castle and seal Ganon off."

"You also knew my name before I even told you."

"My, you're full of questions today." Ghirahim let out a deep sigh. "I would assume, based on the legends, that you, the hero, have been reincarnated several times. I hope it's not coincidence that both you and the other 'hero' I knew personally are both named Link and look strikingly similar. Makes things simpler."

Another silence threatened to fall, but Ghirahim broke it before it could. His words weren't comforting.

"You know, it's best that I'm eventually destroyed. I lost my purpose the moment Demise was killed. And in the end, I am your enemy. I'm a demon created by another demon using dark magic so that I could assist him in destroying the world. This is going to show again eventually."

Link didn't answer, his hands clenching into fists at his sides. He could feel Ghirahim's eyes on his back, watching for his reaction.

When the hero still didn't respond, Ghirahim said, "Let's go back before someone notices we're gone. It's getting late anyway."

/

Eventually, Kass left and the group was left by themselves. Right after, Link noticed Teba's strained breathing. Laine had a hand on the Rito's wing, as if that could help him.

"I can take him to Zora's Domain," Brutela offered. "Even if they can't heal him, it would be better than bringing him with us."

And with that, Brutela departed for Zora's Domain, taking Teba with her.

A week passed, and soon they came across yet another stable. Beyond that stable was a field, where guardians littered the ground everywhere. None of them appeared to be alive. All of them simply sat there in quiet inactivity, and it made Link uneasy.

The place also seemed familiar. Well, everywhere seemed familiar, but this place in particular…

He walked among the guardians, making sure to keep on the road that had been cut through the field.

"This is Fort Hateno," Laine said. "That's why there's all the guardians. Be careful; some of them are still alive."

And so they proceeded with caution, glancing around to make sure a guardian wasn't at their backs.

At one time, the fort had to have been important to Hyrule. The stone walls stood high, with plenty of places for Hyrulean arches to hide and take down any foe that may be advancing toward them. In places, Link could still see discarded weapons that had rusted over the past hundred years. A gate had once closed off the area beyond the fort, but now it sat uselessly on the ground, torn apart by a guardian.

And against the stone walls guardians were stacked on top of each other, building up piles and piles. And some had managed to get over the wall as well and into the area beyond. Link could almost _sense_ the struggle of the soldiers to stop the inevitable.

Here more than anything else, you could get a taste of what the Great Calamity had been like and what had been lost that day.

Laine was pale, lips pressed tightly together. He had yet to mention it, but he could hear the whispers of spirits that couldn't move on. This particular area had spooked him when he passed through it; it was _alive_ with spirits of the soldiers whose families were long dead and homes long gone. He looked at Link, recalling the rumors about the area. "You know, they say you killed most, if not all, of the guardians here. Did you?"  
Link shrugged. "If I did, I don't remember it."

A small pond just off the road caught his attention. It was a few feet away and surrounded by guardians; here, Link noticed, the guardians seemed to have taken the most damage. One appeared to have been sliced at the neck; another had a shattered eye and broken legs. Then another had its insides ripped out. Then there were three guardians stacked on top of each other; the bottom two appeared to be broken, but the third stood on them, looking down at whatever prey it had spotted as if frozen in time.

Link stopped, and within seconds both Ghirahim and Laine stopped too.

"What? What is it?" Laine asked.

Based on his expression, Ghirahim seemed to know. But Link didn't ask. He didn't answer Laine either.

He carefully stepped toward the pond, eyes glued to the guardian on top. Ghirahim frowned, motioning for Laine to stay where he was and going after Link. No one spoke, for the silence was precious and fragile.

" _Link! Link, get up! You're going to be alright!"_

That was the last thing he could remember before his hundred year sleep; he could not grasp ever looking at her and saying, _"No I won't_ ," before finally passing out, and he wouldn't have been able to even if he didn't lose his memory.

In his last moments, that had been the guardian that threatened to kill them.

He couldn't even remember Zelda's expression of horror and anguish. All he could remember was feeling wet and cold and _tired._

He heard a small, electronic sound that made Ghirahim's eyes widen.

Up, above him, on top of the guardians, was the one that was frozen in time. It now glowed a distinct purple, and its eye had lit up, training itself on Link. His heart pounded.

" _Run,_ you bastard! _"_ Ghirahim said, almost snarling the words.

Link didn't have to be told twice. He twisted on his heel and took off, sprinting across the field toward Laine. Behind him, the guardian fired one of its beams, causing Link to curse loudly as searing heat from, thankfully, the explosion that followed impact, washed over his backside. Flames lashed out at him, and he let out a cry as he just barely managed to avoid them.

Though he could hardly remember anything of that day when he had to be put to sleep, he knew that he wouldn't be able to outrun a guardian. He could almost remember trying a hundred years before. They'd been fast. _Too_ fast.

He darted behind the remains of another guardian, breathing heavily. At least this one wasn't alive.

Laine's eyes widened as they beheld the stalker coming toward him, climbing over the bodies of its brethren as if they were nothing. Ghirahim just barely summoned a dagger and threw it at the spider-like robot before it could reach him and shoot its bright beam.

It turned and immediately shot a beam at him. Ghirahim jumped out of the way and narrowly avoided the explosion that followed.

Link watched with paralyzing fear. Even when Ghirahim used his inhuman speed, _he was not faster than the guardian._ Even better, it was evident that no one nearby was experienced in fighting them; people from the stable had already gone inside and hidden for their lives. Even Ghirahim was having trouble.

He had to do something. It was only one guardian, wasn't it?

He inhaled deeply and looked around. There were rusted weapons lying everywhere that no one simply wanted, or they were too afraid to look for them.

He had seen guardians with their legs cut off. That could slow them down. Especially if he cut more than one, or shorted most of them out.

He carefully picked up a claymore. How quickly would it break?

Shaking the thought off, he turned, inhaled deeply again, and sprinted toward the guardian again, the claymore held back in preparation for its sole mission, his sights fixated on one particular leg.

What if it stepped on him?

 _Shut the fuck up._

He grit his teeth, and with all his strength sliced through one of the guardian's legs. The legs were metal, but at a certain angle one could easily hit the weaker wires that controlled them and held them together. The simple task had cost him plenty of strength, but that was to be expected. These things weren't made fragile. It let out an electronic screech, almost immediately losing its sure footing but getting it back just as quickly, and quickly turned its eye on the hero. Even as he turned to run it shot its beam.

He really wasn't sure how he survived, much less escaped unscathed. The mark on his hand glowed brightly, however, and he suspected it had something to do with that.

The claymore was bent, on the verge of breaking. Ignoring the threatening laser that had found its way to his chest, he sliced through another leg. With that, the claymore broke.

Though they thought he had run away along with his horse, Laine appeared, carrying a much stronger

claymore that appeared damaged but at least wasn't rusted and broken. With this he managed to slice through two legs at once.

With all but one of its legs gone, the guardian could barely move. Ghirahim finally managed to run around and throw the dagger into its eye and disable it. Within moments Ganon decided it was useless and the trio could see his aura fleeing back toward the castle.

Link breathed heavily, hands trembling. Laine appeared much more collected than he did, but still shaken. Ghirahim, meanwhile, recovered in seconds.

"You know, maybe we should just stick to the road," Ghirahim said, giving Link a cold glance. "Who knows what would have happened had we actually been struck?"

"You don't have to blame him," Laine said. "I mean, I don't know what he was doing, but..."

"He was recalling an unpleasant memory," Ghirahim replied, voice still cold as ice. "Right, Link?"

Link looked away.

Laine frowned. "He didn't know the guardian would wake up. _I_ didn't know there was a live and functional one so close to the road, and I doubt you knew either. Let's just get going."

With that, Laine took the lead for the rest of the way to Hateno Village.

Hateno was a small village of farmers with various crops and livestock. It sat in a valley with a river cutting through it. A rotting, wooden gate marked the entrance. At the gate stood a guard with little more than an old soldier's helmet to protect him, a pitchfork held loosely in his hands. He leaned against the gate, half asleep and regarding the trio with little more than a glance.

 _Well, isn't he such a good guard?_ Link thought bitterly, then turned his gaze to a lone building on top of a tall hill in the distance, with a path leading up to it. _What's that?_

Laine led them up to several houses, away from the lone building. Like the others in that area, it appeared to be made out of colorful building blocks with a deck on the second floor. "This is my house," he said as he pushed open the simple wooden door to reveal an almost obsessively clean home. "You can rest here if you want. I have a guest room on the second floor, last door to the right. I need to talk to my boss."

With that, he quickly left, heading off to a place unknown.

Now alone, Link turned to Ghirahim. "Do you know what that building was? On the hill? It's like the most noticeable thing about this village."

"Ask Laine," he replied, then glanced out the window, where the sky was beginning to take on hues of orange and red and pink. "It's surprising to think that there was a guardian so close to here. But then again..." He paused, then shook his head. "Whatever. I suppose you recalled something out there."

"Nothing I wanna talk about."

A moment passed before Ghirahim responded. "You know, I've usually vented any negativity into sparring. We used to do it all the time."

"I'm too tired," Link said, and fell quiet as he thought back to the guardian they'd run into that day and the Great Calamity and everything else that was going on lately.

Ganon was gaining power. Princess Zelda was losing it. He was now certain, with that guardian simply popping up out of the blue _alive,_ that something like the Great Calamity was going to happen again and that he wasn't going to be in time to stop it.


	13. Hell Below the Spring

This is nearly 8,500 words. I give up. Take it. Take my soul with you.

/

Hundreds of feet below them, the ocean stretched for miles and miles and out of sight, toward some distant land. The sun was currently nearing the horizon, its blinding light reaching through the leaves of the forest at the edge of Hateno Village, touching everything in sight.

Laine and Link approached the Hateno Tech Lab, which Link now knew stood at the edge of a high cliff, apprehensive about what they were going to find on the other side of the door. No one in Hateno Village knew much about the lab It had been funded by the royal family before the Great Calamity, and that afterwards it had been inactive for ten years before finally the directors went back to work.

The lab director was supposed to be an elderly Sheikah woman, but she hadn't been seen in several years and was presumed dead. The children talked of a _very_ young girl (younger than ten) sometimes coming out of the lab, but everyone knew that the lab director didn't like children so no one believed them.

Due to the lab being dedicated to the Sheikah technology that had led to Hyrule's downfall, no one was willing to approach the lab.

Laine reluctantly knocked on the wooden door. A Sheikah eye had been painted onto it, but now the paint was fading and the wood was beginning to chip away and rot. Link hovered behind him, leaning out slightly to see who would answer.

The first thing they heard was a young girl—definitely under ten—screaming at someone to open the door. Then there was a crash, and the girl screamed some more, and finally frantic footsteps approached the door.

"You'd think that they'd have something to muffle the noise in there," Laine whispered, leaning down slightly so Link could hear.

He fell quiet as an older man opened the door, his hair coming out of its neat bun and his clothes rumpled. He had no Sheikah markings on his face, though it was easy to tell who he was from his clothes. Instead, he wore glasses that greatly magnified his eyes. Almost instantly, Link found himself in front, where he was forced to interact with this man.

"Uh..Hi," Link said. Perhaps under any other circumstance he wouldn't feel so awkward. "We were wanting to speak to your director. Are you…?"

The man's eyes widened. He retreated into the lab for a few moments, where the two could hear whispering. Link couldn't make out much of anything from the brief conversation. Then the man poked his head out. "I'm not the director, but I'll let you talk to her. Can your friend stay out here?"

"If I'm coming in, He's coming in too," Link said, able to make himself sound firm for a few seconds.

The man frowned, glancing at Laine then retreating back into the lab once more. Five seconds later he opened the door again and motioned for them to come inside.

The lab's interior was messy, with papers strewn about. To the left was a guidance stone that sat in front of a raised platform, and to the right was a large table covered in more papers and various notebooks. A globe sat proudly among the mess, as well as an unmarked Sheikah Slate. Though several chairs surrounded the table, only one was occupied—there, a small girl stood. She looked as if she'd only just left her toddler years and was most definitely out of place among all the books and various other instruments. The children in Hateno were apparently right about the little girl.

Almost instantly, the girl's bored expression melted to wide eyes and a huge grin when she saw Link. She squealed and jumped down from her chair, unable to contain her excitement. "Linky! It's actually _you!_ What took you so long?"

Link could only stare in stunned silence, attempting to process how this girl could _possibly_ know him enough to recognize his face.

She frowned at his lack of a response and crossed her arms. "What? Don't you recognize me?" She paused, still appearing confused. Then she snapped her fingers. "Right! I forgot about the rune! I'm Purah, the person who stuck you in the Shrine of Resurrection. I only look like this because of an experiment."

 _Uh huh. Sure,_ Link thought, scowling. The girl returned the look with a fierce glare.

"Don't believe me? Ask Symin!" She angrily pointed at the man behind her, who flinched at her harsh tone.

Symin nervously rubbed his neck and averted his eyes. "Ms. Purah is telling the truth. She wanted to be prepared in case you aged in the Shrine of Resurrection."

"We've been avoiding going out so that no one would know what I did," Purah said, climbing back into her chair so that when she stood up she was at eye level with him.

After a moment of contemplating whether or not he should speak, Laine said, "The kids know about you."

"I know that," she said sharply, turning to a strange arrow that lay on the table. While its shaft appeared normal, the arrowhead looked as if it had been ripped off a guardian and tied to the shaft. "Anyway, why'd you come here? I mean, I know I should be special to you considering it was me who saved your life, but I told Impa not to tell you to come unless there was something you needed."

"Aren't you supposed to be a lab dedicated to ancient technology? You know, guardians and stuff? And, you know, Ganon..."

"You wanna know if we can help," Purah finished, grinning once more. "Well, I can do that. But you'll also have to help me." She plucked the strange arrow off the table. "You see this? It's an ancient arrow. It's not really ancient—but it's made of the same material the guardians and Divine Beasts are made out of. It looks heavy, but believe me, it's as light as any normal arrow." She tossed it and swiftly caught it. "It should only take one of these to kill everything you see, except maybe Ganon or the Divine Beasts. But shoot it at any ordinary monster and poof—they're gone. To kill a guardian, you need to shoot it in the eye. But I don't think that's an impossible feat. Where're you planning to go next?"

"Mount Lanayru," Link replied. "To the spring."

"Are you sure?" she replied, frowning. "You're looking, er… rough. I think I agree with Kass as far as your tunic..."

Link flushed, unconsciously tugging at the ends of the once sky blue tunic. "You know Kass?"

"Yeah, of course. We asked him to keep an eye out for you once we heard from not-too-benevolent sources that you were awake. Guess he didn't mention that, huh?" She sighed. "Whatever. You probably shouldn't go up there. There's monsters and you look like you just came out of a bloodbath."

"I don't have a choice," Link replied. "The worst of it isn't going to heal until I go up there."

"Right, the thing with healing magic." She glanced at the arrow. "Stupid Ganon and his stupid curses… Fine. Take these. They only need one more test, so they should for the most part work."

She glanced at Symin, who immediately ran up a set of stairs. He came back down with a bundle of "ancient arrows" and handed them to Purah who handed them to Link.

"Seriously, though, don't die," Purah said. "If we had to stick you in that shrine again I don't think this world would be around long enough to see you wake up. You're not going there alone, are you?"

He glanced back at Laine, who shook his head.

"I doubt it," Link said. _Ghirahim will probably go with me, too. If he'll just get back soon. Then again, can he even go on the mountain?_ It was, after all, supposed to be sacred. Perhaps it would be the same as Faron.

"Okay, good," the girl said reluctantly. It seemed that a group of two wasn't reassuring enough to her. Now she had hands balled into tight, sweaty fists, and her frown was more prominent than before. "Just come back when you get done there, okay?"

Link nodded, now feeling more sympathetic than when he first walked into the lab. He still found it difficult to believe that this girl was the reason he was standing in that room that day.

What would have happened had she not been there? What would Ganon have done to this world? Zelda? Ghirahim?

He quickly shook off the thought. If he wanted to succeed, he couldn't linger on the negative part of this. At least he, Ghirahim, and Zelda had survived. At least the world was intact, even if Hyrule wasn't. When this was over, they could rebuild. A proper civilization could be reestablished. They could make sure that the Champions were remembered. Hyrule's shell would become Hyrule once more.

"Thank you," Link said, slipping the arrows into his empty quiver. "I'll try to make sure nothing happens."

As they left, Symin and Purah waved them off.

Outside, the sun inched closer and closer to the horizon. Its light peeked through the trees that bordered Hateno.

"When're you going to Mount Lanayru anyway?" Laine asked as they started down the hill back toward his house.

"Probably tomorrow," Link said.

"Are you still waiting for Ghirahim? What's he doing, anyway?"

Link could only shrug. "He didn't tell me."

Laine frowned. "Can you try to go before tonight?"

"Before _tonight?_ The sun's already starting to set! Why didn't you say something sooner?"  
Almost immediately, Laine stopped to take a defensive stance. "I'm sorry! I didn't think Ghirahim would be gone this long!"

Link barely managed to hold back a temper he didn't know he had. Laine wasn't deserving of it, even if he waited until it was a little too late to ask Link to go to Mount Lanayru before nightfall. "Fine. Whatever. But I'm going tomorrow. I'm too tired to be doing _anything_ like that right now. I can barely stay awake to make it through the day now."

Laine opened his mouth to protest, but decided against it. _Probably can't trust gut feelings half the time anyway. Remember last time, when you thought it was okay to trust that guy in the desert? You're lucky you weren't presumed dead._

Maybe the bad feeling was simply because he'd gotten fired from his job the day before. He'd been gone for several weeks—which his boss didn't seem to give a damn about—and then he asked for a few more weeks so that he could help a friend. He doubted his boss would have believed him if he stated _exactly_ who he was helping and what he was helping with.

What was this, the fifth time he got fired? It was surprising, considering he was one of the few people in the village who had the even the gut to kill a moblin. He was quiet and he was shy, but he wasn't weak.

\\\\\

The mountainous region of Hebra was truly a trying area for a sword spirit, at least in the first few hours. Ghirahim realized too late that he had aimed slightly off before the cold took over, sapping him of any strength he may have had before teleporting such a long distance. He clutched his hip as blinding pain—from his core, which he hid in the diamond on his sash—nearly forced him to his knees. The pain dulled as the seconds passed, but it never quite went away. He wasn't dying, but this area was much too cold for comfort, and moving from a fairly warm area to a mountainous one where the temperatures rarely left the negatives could do that to someone like him.

He didn't dare move for nearly an hour, until he was sure he wouldn't collapse if something

At least he still had his senses, and he could still feel his destination a mile away, to his right. He started trudging across the soft, icy snow toward his destination, avoiding wolves and landslides as he went. It was two o'clock in the afternoon when he departed from Hateno to Hebra, and three-thirty when he reached the small hut that he'd been looking for.

\\\\\

The demon on his knees before Ghirahim was buff, even more so than the demon lord. Even his breathing sounded beastly, and it was a wonder how anyone could understand him. The only thing keeping the demon from completely collapsing in a heap on the ground was his blade, and even then that was ready to break. Blood poured from his wounds Ghirahim himself remained standing, the pieces of his rapier clutched with a death grip in his hands, his entire face burning in rage. The two had been fighting for only twenty minutes—considering how strong Ghirahim's opponent appeared compared to Ghirahim himself, it would be nearly impossible for someone to _not_ be surprised by his victory. He'd never been here before, so no one knew who he was and what he could do. As a result, the swordsmith had demanded that he "prove himself", so that his efforts didn't go to waste on a demon that couldn't even fight.

"I...broke…my fucking weapons for you," Ghirahim said, turning to the swordsmith that sat on a chair a few feet away. He was a short, scrawny demon. The only way one could tell that, though, was because of his arms and legs. The rest of his body was concealed by purple robes. He was most likely a poe, though, because the only visible part of his face was an enormous, glowing, red eye.

 _I bet I could sell his soul for a fortune,_ Ghirahim thought. He decided he would do just that if the demon continued to be a dick.

The poe waved off Ghirahim's opponent with a thin, pale hand and stood up, white rags falling across his knees. Although the buff demon tried but failed to stand, no one minded him now that their business with him was done.

Currently, Ghirahim wanted nothing more than to strangle the little shit people called the Swordsmith. Him, a creation of _the_ most powerful demon ever to exist, and his ability was doubted? The only reason he could even call himself rusty is because he hadn't gotten to spar with Link in a little over a century.

"Your temper is still disgusting, but fine. I'll fix them. It may take a few days. I have other people needing their weapons fixed, too."

"Well make mine a priority!" Ghirahim snarled. "I need them before tonight!"

"So do a lot of other demons," the Swordsmith replied calmly, though one could easily imagine an invisible grin spreading across his face. "We're all anticipating what's going to happen."

 _Tonight?_ Of course. Ghirahim had sensed it, but he didn't think so soon.

He stepped toward the shorter demon, hands clutched into fists. That was even _more_ of a reason to need them. "You know, I could easily kill you. I could crush you, then use that broken body to use my bidding."

The Swordsmith drew away from him, thin, pale, bony arms held up to defend itself, but refused to admit that it was frightened. "Hah, you can't do it. Not without your weapons."

Ghirahim gripped the shorter demon's arm with the same death grip he had on his swords moments ago. Already he could feel his mask trying to fall apart, and his true body trying to break free. He would lose any sort of self control once he allowed himself to take this new form, but if it took that to get this sad bastard to fix his swords _now_ then he would do it. "Is that a challenge?"

Cracks began to form along Ghirahim's skin, starting with his arms. These cracks were very much the steel of his true form, and as soon as he felt the metal against his frail arms the Swordsmith gave in. "Fine! Fine! I'll do yours first!" Apparently, he wasn't used to his customers getting violent when he refused their demands. Perhaps they were burned out from fighting or simply wouldn't mind killing with their bare hands. Ghirahim, on the other hand, would prefer not to reveal his true form to anyone except Link.

"And if they break again within the next fifty years, I'll kill you _anyway,_ " Ghirahim snarled, allowing more of that normally pristine skin to fall away. "Do you hear me?"

The Swordsmith nodded, trembling as Ghirahim released it. The demon rushed over to the counter where the pieces of his sword lay. It picked one up, nearly enraging Ghirahim with the simple, necessary action, and inspected it.

"This is...this is an ancient design. I-I'm not sure I can truly fix it. Where did you get this anyway?"  
"It's _mine._ It doesn't matter where I got it. Just fix it. Even if you can't, _figure out_ _it out_ ," Ghirahim said, struggling to regain control himself. It was normally easy to resist his true nature, but on those rare occasions in which he let himself it take over him and turn him into a monster, it was difficult to control it once more.

It was pathetic how quickly Ghirahim had managed to scare the demon into nearly-total submission.

It nodded meekly, quietly retreating into a furnace to put it back together, before making the proper repairs.

The demon was right to doubt if he could fix the swords, however—though their design would be easy to replicate, the magic and material used to truly make them what they were was unheard of and forgotten in this day and age. They had been built to last—and last they did. It was only a quarter of a century ago that the swords and daggers had begun to rust and crack, and Ghirahim was sure that no one even knew of a legend about people in the sky, or anything about someone other than Ganon.

The Link from the sky had been forgotten. The Zelda from the sky had been forgotten. Demise had been forgotten. Even _he_ had been forgotten, and he was still alive.

 _But apparently Link knows something if he asked you about Demise, right?_

Ghirahim pushed such thoughts away—if he let them continue, they could only ruin his mood.

He followed the demon inside, certain that if he didn't hover over the damned thing's shoulder that it would try something that Ghirahim wouldn't approve of.

/

Zora's Domain was beautiful at night.

The entire thing was a circular stone structure, but the stone chosen to make it was beautiful. It was made of the clear, blue stone that could be found in the rocky cliffs surrounding it. The floor could be separated into two layers of that stone, with the bottom layer featuring intricate designs. Then the pillars around the area were made of sculpted luminous stone. And at the center, watching over anyone who entered the domain, was the statue of the Zora Champion and the deceased Zora Princess. In her hands was her spear, held carefully against her body. A small smile had been carved into her glowing face. In life, she had been small for a Zora, but the statue made her larger than life.

All the Zoran people had now were memories of her, her Divine Beast, and that statue.

And even then, that Divine Beast, which had been dormant for almost an entire century, was beginning to cause trouble. Zora's Domain had been plagued by an eternal rain for weeks now, and the dam that kept the reservoir from flooding the domain was beginning to overflow. If a particularly large wave came, water would splash over the side and soak anyone who may be nearby.

Brutela was safe from any sort of danger, at least at the moment. She sat beside a bed in a small inn, which had been built out of the same rock as the rest of Zora's Domain. On the bed beside her was Teba, the Rito she had brought here a few days ago. The trip had been difficult, as she was a lone Hylian traversing through a monster-infested road on foot, but at least the Zora had managed to take the Rito off her hands during that time.

Teba had yet to wake up. Several healers had looked at him, but they all insisted it was hopeless. He was going to die.

But Brutela was determined. Both Link and Laine had saved her life back in the Yiga Clan base, and Link had stopped the trouble with Vah Naboris and saved many people, a feat that no one had managed to achieve until he came along. She was in debt to them both. The _least_ she could do was keep one of their friends alive until he could get properly taken care of.

So she had spoken to people around the domain. Finally, someone said that he would get someone that could help here.

Here she was, waiting for that someone.

At one minute past eleven, a tall Zora stepped inside. Her embellished bracelets and complex headpiece gave her away for who she was—royalty. She met eyes with Brutela, and the Gerudo saw that they were brown just like her other siblings.

"Don't bother with formalities," the Zora said quickly upon noticing Brutela's wide eyes and open mouth. "I'm Ziya."

"But you're—"

"I said don't bother with formalities. It wastes time." She stepped toward the bed. "So, what's your name? I was told you were coming, but Lord Gary Hams didn't give me any details."

"Lord Gary Hams?" Brutela said, tilting her head.  
"You know, the demon guy with the weird makeup."

Brutela instantly knew who she was talking about when she mentioned the makeup, and the fact that Ziya had said he was a demon caught her off guard. "He's a demon? I mean, I knew he wasn't human, but..."

"You didn't know?" Ziya laughed bitterly. "I should have guessed. I don't think he would tell just anyone that. Maybe the Hylian Champion knew, but that's probably it."

Brutela frowned. How much more were Link and Ghirahim keeping from them? Would she find out tomorrow that Link was actually a Yiga that had murdered the true Hylian Champion?

 _Stop that. You're being ridiculous._

"I doubt Gary Hams is actually a really bad guy, he's just...a demon," Ziya added as Brutela's expression turned sour. "He'd still murder somebody in a heartbeat if he needed to, but I don't think he's actually bad. _Anyway,_ this guy. He's still alive, right?" She looked down at Teba, who sat as still as ever. It was difficult to believe that he was alive, but Brutela had checked on him several times and found that he lived on.

"Of course," Brutela replied.

Ziya gazed at the unconscious Rito for a few moments, her face suddenly losing its usual personality. "Not sure what I can do for this guy. He's bad off. What about the Hylian Champion, wherever he is? Are you any closer to breaking that curse?"

"His name is Link, and were were on our way to the next temple. We'd figured out where the curse was. They should be there by now."

"Well it's not broke yet," Ziya said, narrowing her eyes as her frown deepened. Before, she had been relaxed. But now her entire body seemed tense, even the fingers that gently brushed against Teba's chest. "I'll do what I can. I'll be able to ensure that he stays alive until maybe tomorrow, but if your friend doesn't break the curse by then I'll have to let him go or else we'll both die. But if he does, I think this guy will eventually make a full recovery. From what I can see, nothing is broken or anything. He'd've been perfectly fine if it hadn't been a guardian that blasted him."

Brutela nodded, hoping she would just do whatever she planned on doing already. She didn't want this Rito to die while they were talking. She barely knew the guy, but she knew that he had a family that eagerly awaited his return home, just as she had her own family. Surely they were beginning to grow anxious despite her telling them that she was guaranteed to be gone much more than a week. But considering who she was associated with and what she was getting herself into, they had reason to worry.

Ziya carefully ran her hand across the Rito's chest. As she did so, it started to glow, and the Zora princess's face scrunched up in concentration.

The entire process took five minutes, and when it was done Ziya looked exhausted. No wonder she said she would have to let Teba go if Link didn't break the curse by the next day.

They talked nearly an hour, as Ziya was not eager to return to her father, before the world came to a complete stop. No one could have _not_ noticed the eerie stillness in the air as everyone in Zora's Domain and beyond looked up at the purple sky and saw the red moon among the clouds, and in the distance Ganon let out a roar. Vah Ruta echoed it, and Death Mountain followed suit.

Ziya's eyes widened. "We have to get out of here."

/

It was around midnight that Ghirahim's power reached its peak. Such an occurrence was never a good sign; his power had a source, and never in his thousands of years of living had that source been benevolent.

At the exact moment that he was aware of it, Ghirahim looked up in the direction of the castle, _knowing_ where it was despite not even being able to see it.

Also, at that exact moment, the demon that was supposed to be fixing his swords looked up. "They're done," he said, his loud, hoarse voice brushing against quite a few of Ghirahim's nerves.

Ghirahim shot the demon a glare. "If you didn't do a good job, I won't be pleased."

"I'm well aware of that."

"If they start rusting again in the next century, you're dead."

"I did my best, sir."

"If I come back here and you make me 'prove my worth' again, I'll prove my worth by ripping you apart with my bare hands."

"I won't," the demon said snappishly. "Good day, sir."

Ghirahim stared at the demon with narrowed eyes as he snapped his fingers to make his weapons disappear. "You don't think I'll live long enough to see the day, do you?" he said.

The demon shook his head. "You're so reckless with your actions. I bet you'll be dead by next week."

"Yeah, sure, we'll see if that happens."

With how strong Ghirahim felt right now, if he would just cast off this mask that he put over his true form, perhaps he could have easily teleported back to Hateno. But to cast off the mask would mean losing his self control, something you desperately needed when you were a demon siding with the human that was destined to save the world you were created to destroy.

He shot the Swordsmith a glare, then disappeared in his cloud of diamonds like he usually did. When he appeared, he was several miles away from Hateno, between the Dueling Peaks, as the people today called them. Ghirahim couldn't help but wonder if some furious deity had sliced straight down the middle of a mountain one day and created the twin peaks.

Even from where he stood, far away from the stable in which he'd managed to exchange more than three words with Link, he could hear people screaming in agony and fear, and as he started into a run, several people passed him, all hysterical with wide eyes and screaming mouths.

Though he ran into numerous guardians, he ran out of their sights as quickly as he could, sometimes even hiding until they forgot him. Because of this, it was well into the morning when Ghirahim reached the ruined Hateno Village.

/

When Link finally stirred, the only light that came through the windows was actually darkness—tonight, it seemed, not even the moon was out.

The quiet was oppressive, uneasy. No owls hooted. No crickets chirped. There was no sound at all, except Link's own breathing and Laine's a few feet away.

Why had he woke up?

"Ghirahim?" he called out, hoping that was the reason.

There was no response, not even a hint of one. Ghirahim _still_ wasn't back.

So why?

He attempted to stand, but instead only managed to fall over as soon as he put any weight on his feet. He stared into the darkness for a few moments, still only half awake, then finally he stood up, wavering on his feet as he felt around for a window. As he moved, he became aware of a clicking sound outside. The clicking was impossibly rapid, and it seemed to surround the house.

He felt uneasy, incredibly uneasy. His stomach churned and his head swirled. He wasn't just uneasy, he was terrified.

His hands found a thick curtain, which was really just a thick blanket tacked over the window. He reluctantly pulled it away and peered outside

The first thing he saw was the foot of a guardian quietly click as it stepped on the ground directly in front of the house. Then there was a _crack_ of wood as another one sunk into the outer wall of the house.

Then he saw the guardian itself. It only had three legs, but it didn't appear to notice. There were more behind it. Even from where he stood, Link could see a dozen of them, each of them in varying conditions. Some were in perfect working order, albeit they were covered in moss and dust, while others were missing legs or occasionally having a spasm due to missing parts or a short circuit.

Just as in his dream in the Gerudo Desert, the sky had been stained purple and red. Sitting among the eerie clouds was the Blood Moon at its fullest.

 _Soon...Please…_

Panic setting in, Link shoved the curtain back in the window. Only seconds passed before he heard the first scream, and the explosion. The crackle and hum of a growing fire drove out the last of the silence.

"Laine!" Link called, forgetting stealth. He ran away from the window, to the couch in which Laine lay, and shook the Gerudo awake. "Laine! _LAINE!_ "

Laine groaned, pushing Link away. "What?" he said, voice slurred and rough. However, Link didn't need to explain; the screams and explosions that were quickly growing in frequency did. His eyes nearly popped out of their sockets as he looked toward the covered windows. Link was sure he wore the same expression himself.

The harsh, orange lights of the approaching fires took over what was previously darkness. And around them, the guardians walked on, thankfully unaware of the two men hiding in their homes.

But it was only a matter of time.

 _We have to do something,_ Link thought. "The mountain," he whispered. _If we break the curse, will the dragon there be able to stop this?_

But how would they even get out of the house without being blown to bits?

 _You can think about that when you're there._

"We're going up Mount Lanayru," Link said, sounding much calmer than he felt.

Laine nodded, following after Link as he headed up the narrow steps. In his room, Link grabbed his bag and quickly recalled everything he knew about the mountain.

Hastily, he yanked on the outfit the Rito gave him, then grabbed his weapons. He knew by now that the mountain was almost impossibly cold.

On his bed were the seven ancient arrows and his quiver, which he quickly attached to his utility belt.

 _Now how to get out._

He peeked out the window in his room, at the mountainous area around Hateno. It appeared that the guardians had more trouble climbing the steep slopes than any human would. The back of Laine's house stood right against a steep hill; as long as a guardian didn't decide to look in their direction, they would be fine.

Laine walked in the room, eyes still wide and face still five shades whiter than usual, but he looked much less panicked than before. Slung around his back was a typical broadsword, and he was dressed much warmer than before, with an added soldier's helmet. _Didn't the guards at Hyrule Castle wear that?_ Link thought, but he could barely remember.

"It's probably safer if we go out this window," he said.

"I don't think we'll get out of this without being seen, though," Link whispered in response, carefully approaching the window to pull it open. _Why_ these houses only had one door, he didn't know.

Behind them, downstairs, there was a crash and a boom. Both heads snapped around to the wall behind them. Part of it was missing, allowing them to see the guardian's head...and eye.

Though he wasn't the nearest target, the guardian focused its sights on Link.

"Go! Go!" Link yelled. Laine scrambled through the window, sloppily landing on the ground below. Link followed after him.

As Link began to climb out of the window himself, he heard a familiar beep. He recognized it from the first time he had ran into a live guardian—it was the sound it made right before it blasted its target.

As soon as he realized what it was, Link hurled himself out of the window, and right over his head, narrowly missing him by centimeters, he saw the white light of the guardian's beam at the edge of his vision, and he felt its heat on the top of his head.

Link nearly choked on his own spit as he slammed into the ground. For a few moments, he was too stunned to move, leaving Laine to yank him to his feet. They scrambled up the slope, but already another guardian had taken notice of them. Just like the other one, it targeted Link.

 _Are they after me?_ Link thought, but decided that the thought was far-fetched.

Then again, was it really?

The guardian's beeping became rapid—it was about to fire at him. Though he didn't want to, he had no choice and even if he did he knew he wouldn't have time to choose. He pulled out his bow, yanked back an ancient arrow, took half a second to aim, and fired.

Bull's-eye.

As the guardian exploded behind him, Link scrambled up the slope and descended on the other side, out of sight of the guardians. For now.

Somewhere far away yet close enough for them to hear, one of the Divine Beasts let out a furious screech, and in the distance bright white light flashed, reminding Link of a guardian beam. Death Mountain, which sat just beyond whatever Divine Beast had just thrown a fit, erupted, spewing magma and rock as it exploded.

And then there was another roar, but it wasn't the robotic screech of a Divine Beast. The pair could see the thick, black cloud that crackled with purple lightning even when Hyrule Castle was completely blocked by the mountains of the Necluda region.

 _Ganon's free._

"Let's keep going," Laine said, quickly turning away from the cloud. "Mount Lanayru is over there. It might take us all night just to get there."

They laid low as Laine led the way around the village and toward the sacred mountain. With every step he took, Link's hope dwindled.

Ganon was free to do as it wished, which meant that something had happened to Princess Zelda, one of the only people aside from Ghirahim who had known him personally, _and_ the person who was supposed to be holding him back. And Ghirahim still hadn't appeared. Had something happened to him, too?

By the time this was over, would he be alone again? Just as he had been when he first woke up?

The thought alone sent his world into a blur and caused him to stumble. Laine caught him by the arm and held him firmly.

"Hey, breathe. In and out. We'll get through this."

Link nodded, trying to even his breathing. He had to power through this. He and his friends weren't the only ones in danger if Ganon ( _Demise?_ ) was truly free.

They continued on, away from the clicks of guardian feet behind them. Even from where he stood Link could see the beginnings of widespread fires in the distance. It reminded him of the first time something like this happened, when the destruction had been so great.

 _That isn't helping!_ Link's internal voice hissed. He pushed the thoughts away and followed after Laine.

They climbed up another slope, and at the top the temperatures dropped suddenly and drastically. Behind Link and Laine was the grassy hills and small mountains of Necluda, though now half of that was on fire. Ahead of Link and Laine was a thick layer of snow and snow-coated trees and cliffs. A trail led up the mountain, and from where he stood Link could see strange figures in the snow.

On the surface, the place looked perfectly fine. But underneath had to be the threat—the dragon in Faron ( _Or is that_ _its_ _name?_ ) had told him it was here.

And he could feel it in the air behind him, beside him, _surrounding him_.

They continued downhill, toward the mountain. Vaguely, Link could remember coming here. It had been the last spring he'd gone to with Zelda—her last chance at awakening her power before the Calamity.

It hadn't worked.

He shook off the thoughts of events he could barely remember and continued on. Behind him, Link could feel a constant presence following him as if it were his shadow, yet when he glanced behind him there was nothing there.

 _Is Ghirahim avoiding me again?_ But he doubted it. This felt different—ominous. And he was rarely even aware that Ghirahim was following him from a distance unless he accidentally caught sight of him.

They reached a road that led up the side of the mountain, to the spring that was at the top. The steps were mostly covered in snow, making the path treacherous. He doubted he and Ghirahim could reunite beyond this point. The entire mountain was sacred and _not_ the place for a demon, even if it was cursed.

The mountain was, slowly, getting colder. Even though Link was quite certain that his clothes were magic infused, the cold still bit at his skin and made him shiver. Laine was faring no better. He hugged himself in hopes of preserving some heat. They could only imagine how it would be at the top.

Last time he'd been here, the mountain hadn't been nearly so cold. At the base, there had been plenty of trees that _weren't_ covered in snow, and the birds chirped and animals had been darting about. The mountain had been _alive,_ but now it felt cold and dead. It felt as if something would jump out at them at any second; if they just so happened to bump into each other, they both jumped away in fear, certain that it was something that had been sent out to kill them. The wind felt like the foul breath of some terrifying beast. The fact that the trees weren't evergreens and lacked any sign of life only made it worse.

And Link still felt that presence following them, invisible and silent.

"Do you feel it too?" Link asked, breaking the long silence that had formed between them. They were nearly at the top; Link could almost see the spring from where they stood.

Laine flinched, head whipping to look down at Link. "Feel what?"

"Like something's following us."

The both of them glanced behind them, but as usual there was nothing to be found.

"No, not really," Laine admitted. "Do you?"

"I've felt it since we got on this mountain."

"Maybe it's just you."

Maybe it _was_ just him. Aside from the occasional wandering guardian, they had been mostly left alone. Nothing had sprang out of hiding and attacked them. And even if something had, Link wouldn't have been able to deal with it himself. By this point, he was sure it was only a matter of time before he was in the same position as Teba. The only thing that kept him awake and moving was pure determination.

Eventually, the path took a sharp turn, and once they rounded the corner they found themselves looking at the spring. Pillars lined the steps that led up to the altar. The water was deathly still, but despite the temperature being less than zero it did not freeze. There were chunks of Malice everywhere—on the pillars, on the ground, in the spring. The black aura that typically came with Malice tainted the air. However, just as in the Faron Region, the statue of Hylia stood tall and still held her faint smile.

"The temple," Link breathed, hesitantly pulling away from Laine to approach the spring. "Where is it?"

"I don't know. Look around the back of the statue," Laine replied, following after him.

Link was less than eager to walk in the spring, even if it was shallow. However, he descended the steps, cringing as the freezing water soaked his boots.

Indeed, behind the statue was a door. It was nearly completely covered by snow, making it impossible to spot unless someone was looking for it. "Found it!" he called, wading toward it and clawing the snow away. Soon, Laine joined him, and by the time they'd dug the door out of the snow, they were up to their elbows in snow and chilled to the bone.

The door featured the Sheikah symbol and appeared to be made of several bars split down the middle. Beside it was a guidance stone. With numb hands, Link barely managed to grasp the Sheikah Slate and press it against the stone's smooth, dark surface. The screen flashed and Link pulled the Sheikah Slate away, turning to face the door.

The door began to glow blue along the seams, and the pieces slid away to reveal a narrow staircase that stretched down into darkness. There were brackets and torches lined along the brick wall, but they had gone out sometime before.

"You have anything to light a torch?" Link asked. Laine only shook his head.

Link held up the Sheikah Slate. Its screen gave off a weak, blue light that could barely illuminate the space five feet in front of him. _Better than nothing, I guess._

However, almost as soon as Link crossed the doorway into whatever lay beyond, the eye on the back of the slate began to shine brightly, _directly_ into Link's eyes. He grunted and turned it around, so now the bright light lit the way forward, thankfully much brighter than the screen.

They descended into the darkness.

At the bottom, the staircase continued on into a dark, narrow hallway. The hallway sloped downward The darkness and silence that blanketed the air was oppressive, pressing down at the Link and Laine and their light. The hallway seemed to go on forever. They walked for what seemed like hours, and even as Link was getting surer and surer that they were reaching the base of the mountain, the cold did not let up one bit. In fact, it seemed to get worse and worse, biting at Link's very soul.

Link didn't want to be here. Neither did Laine. But they continued down the hallway, certain that their light was fading fast. They could barely see the walls on either side of them, and when the hallway opened up into a huge chamber they felt rather than saw it.

It was here that they heard the heavy breathing of some beast lurking in the dark. They froze, staring wide-eyed into the darkness as if it would reveal what was in it.

A single eye stared back. The eye was black, but from the orange glow the iris gave off they could tell that the eye was reptilian—it was one of _the_ Eyes. Another Eye joined it. And another. And another. It seemed there were hundreds of them, and as the eyes continued to show themselves the steady gurgle of Malice grew louder and louder. Finally, a groan echoed through the room. It was through the blue glow that lit up the large chamber that the beast—one of the three dragons—showed itself.

Malice coated the dragon's long body, and the Eyes resembled warts. Now with the sickly blue light of the dragon illuminating everything, Link could see that the chamber they were in was bigger than he thought—perhaps big enough for him to say that the entire mountain was hollow.

Of course, it had been assumed that Ganon was the one behind the curse, but it didn't sink in until Link saw the dragon. The Malice was already beginning to try to merge with it, to control it, breaking its skin so that streams of blood ran down it sides. In parts, its flesh had turned a pale green and shriveled up and began to peel away. How long had it been like this? Since the Calamity? Before? Maybe even after? Was Zelda's power so weak that Ganon could continue its efforts at destroying the world?

Link jerked back into the real world when Laine shoved him out of the way of the dragon that rushed toward him. The Gerudo barely managed to avoid death itself as the dragon slammed into the wall. It quickly jumped back before Link could even fully turn around, evidently unfazed.

 _How am I supposed to break the curse? Do I have to attack this thing?_

But how could he attack one of the three dragons? They were _sacred_!

The dragon had trained its attention on him. It rushed toward him once more, bloody claws held out. Link sprinted to get out of the way, but before he could escape the dragon swung its claws at him. He let out a cry as they ripped through his back and pushed him back toward the wall, leaving him to trip over his own feet and fall.

He turned on his side to look at the dragon, cringing as he felt the blood running down his back. The pain had yet to kick in. He climbed to his feet, stumbling backward as the dragon opened its mouth to finish its job. The claws had sunk deep, and with him already weakened from the curse, he could barely stand much less run away.

 _What am I supposed to do?_

The dragon screeched, abruptly turning away from him, toward Laine, who stood with his sword hilt deep into the dragon's tail. He looked the cursed creature in the eye before yanking it out, earning a pained wail from it. The dragon snapped its jaws at him, but he was much too quick for it—the curse on it was sapping its strength and speed the same way Link and Teba's cursed wounds were sapping theirs.

"What? You wanna kill me?" Laine called out, holding up his sword. "I hurt you, didn't I? I'll hurt you again. Just try and stop me." Of course. He was trying to draw its attention away from Link.

The dragon swiped its claws at Laine and the Gerudo jumped out of the way. "The Malice!" he yelled, disappearing somewhere in the dark, where the dragon pursued him.

It took Link a few seconds to register that Laine's words had not, in fact, been meaningless. _The Malice. It might be controlling it!_

Link ran toward the dragon, much slower than he would have liked, while Laine dodged another attack. His movements were slower now—both of them were tired and freezing and miserable from climbing the mountain at four in the morning. Link pulled out the scimitar. He had to help him.

The Malice covered the dragon's entire head and face. It wouldn't be easy to miss.

Laine glanced at him and understood, now attempting to move over a smaller area so that Link could land a hit. The Gerudo seemed strangely calm despite his wide eyes, as if the situation before him was barely more than frustrating. He had already lost his sword somewhere in the humongous chamber, but he had already hit one of the bigger eyes. And it wasn't as if he didn't have magic; sure, it was weakened here, but he could still very much send a blast of fire into the dragon's face if he wanted to.

Link just had to help him with the rest.

Said Hylian swung his sword at the dragon, slashing toward an eye which exploded moments later. The dragon screeched and swung its head toward him, its horn slamming into his side. Link swore he felt bones break as both he and his sword went flying in opposite directions. Pain flared up in his entire body as he slammed into the ground and rolled to a stop feet away from where he had been moments before.

Laine yelled out, sending a blast of fire at the beast just as he had thought about doing moments earlier. The dragon turned to him, but he was already sprinting toward Link, who groaned and stumbled to his feet once more.

 _Gods, he shouldn't have come out here. He's not in any condition to fight,_ Laine thought, though he knew if he'd left Link behind he would have died. Both of them would have.

Link stared at his hands, where he was sure that his scimitar should have been. But of course it had been knocked well into the dark, where it would most likely sit for years to come.

"We need to get out of here," Laine said, grabbing Link by the arm and tugging him away.

The dragon rushed at them, horn aimed at the two men, claws held out and ready to rip them to shreds. It roared furiously as if it had sensed Laine's intentions and _didn't_ intend to let them escape.

Laine's eyes went wide. Though it had been slow seconds ago, the dragon was now _much_ faster than anything they could manage. Link stumbled back in shock, holding up his hands.

Half a second before the dragon ripped them to shreds, a voice beckoned to him. He answered its call by clenching his fists.

His world went white. Laine yelled his name, but he found himself unable to answer. Whatever he had done, it had taken much of his strength, just like when he slowed time in Faron. Then it all went quiet.

Even in unconsciousness, that presence followed him.


	14. Mipha's Grace

When Link came to his senses, he was still cold. Much warmer than before, but still cold. A dull ache pervaded his entire body, and his left hand burned.

He vaguely remembered the dragon and whatever he had done. For a few moments, he didn't move, didn't want to. He heard people talking outside, but they talked quietly. Birds chirped, and water rushed nearby. A foul scent tainted the air, making Link scrunch up his nose.

 _So I'm not dead_.

He opened his eyes to find that he lay on a blanket in a hastily made tent. The cloth over his head was worn and beginning to tear, allowing little light in the crude shelter. On one side of him was the side of a rock cliff. On the other was a flap that would allow him to get out.

Looking down, he saw that he was in fresh clothes-he wore a red shirt with a cheaply made chest guard, as well as a (new!) pair of pants that weren't worn, bloody, and torn. Beside him was a black hood and his bag. He grabbed it and put it on.

He got to his feet, kneeling over slightly as he made his way to the flap. His muscles weighed him down, protesting this abuse after almost a week of rest.

He stepped out, expecting to see sunlight. Instead he saw dreary clouds overhead and persistent rain. The ground was incredibly muddyLink was surprised everything in the area hadn't been swallowed by the mud.

Brutela, and Elon sat under a jutting rock, both of them appearing half asleep. Teba stood alert between them, leaning against the side of the cliff with his wings crossed.

Almost as soon as Link was within their sights, Teba looked up, making it evident who in the group (aside from Ghirahim) was the most alert.

"Hey, you're awake," Teba said, pushing himself away from the wall. "I'm surprised. You were worse off than me. A lot worse off. I heard about what you and...uh...Elon did. I'm impressed."

Elon unconsciously crossed his hands over his chest. He'd only come out to the group the day before-when Teba had woken up and Link was just being treated. Link had known before, in the Yiga hideout; he was truly an easy guy to open up to, especially now that he'd been around him for a couple of weeks. And he had yet to see him take out his temper on someone undeserving, even when he'd annoyed him after they left the tech lab. As for the rest of the group, the only one he really feared wouldn't accept him for who he was is Brutela, but in the end she appeared to have been fine with it, although occasionally she did accidentally get his name wrong.

Then Ghirahim came into sight, and Teba was forgotten.

Before either of them could say a word, Link was on practically top of Ghirahim, arms wrapped desperately around his neck, pulling him into a very much unexpected kiss. For a few moments, Ghirahim froze, taking a moment to register the action. Slowly, almost hesitantly, he pulled Link into an embrace and returned it much less sloppily than him. Then Link pulled away for air.

It was then that Ghirahim saw that his eyes were red and puffy. He now refused to meet Ghirahim's gaze, instead staring at the waterfall in the distance to his left.

Ghirahim would have playfully teased him, but he'd been caught off guard. Something about his expression reminded him painfully of the Hero of the Sky...

...whom he'd loved, but was now dead and forgotten.

Ghirahim pushed him away.

"Wh—?" Link began, but Ghirahim cut him off.

"We have things to do. We can't dawdle, now can we?"

Though Ghirahim expected Link to go with it, Link instead clenched his fist. "What's your problem? You were fine with it just a second ago."

Ghirahim unintentionally took a step away from him. "I told you. We can't dawdle."

"Is that really the problem?" Link snapped. "Or is it me? Because it seems like it is. I'm the only one who's managed to upset you like I do."

"You're overreacting," Ghirahim responded, sharing Link's furious expression.

"I'm overreacting? I'm _overreacting_? Do you not know how I fucking feel? You were gone an entire day when you said you were only going to be gone for a few hours, and you did this with no explanation, and while you were off doing whatever there was a fucking _Blood Moon_ and the entirety of Necluda was being destroyed and Ganon escaped. I was fucking worried, and you wanna say I'm overreacting?"

Ghirahim opened his mouth to reply.

"Hey, quit fuckin fighting!" Teba snapped, his sharp tone instantly putting a stop to the argument. "We got enough on our hands without that bullshit!"

For a few moments, perhaps, Link and Ghirahim paused to look at him.

"He's the one getting pissy over nothing," Ghirahim said, crossing his arms.

"No, you are, pushing me away like that! Why did you even do it?" Link retorted.

Teba's glare shut them up fast. He crossed his arms. "Anyway, we do have something to do. Vah Ruta's just up there." He motioned toward a Zora-made dam, which appeared to have been overflowing for a while; water poured over the edge and into the river below. The river inched closer and closer to the small encampment. The group turned their heads to look, frowns adorning their faces.

Teba broke the silence once more. "You know, I don't know why you're calming all of the Divine Beasts before fighting Ganon. Seems like it'd be easier to just get it over with."

Link turned his gaze away from the dam. "Well, I don't want for anyone to have to scrape my ashes off the ground."

"Would that thing really use all four Divine Beasts on one person?"

"Do you think that thing is still human?" Ghirahim broke in. "It doesn't care how much destruction it causes to eliminate the threat, it just matters that it gets the job done. We have to indirectly weaken it before we can ever approach it directly."

Teba inhaled deeply, then exhaled. "One step at a time" had never been a rule he followed. Like Ghirahim, he preferred to directly approach the problem and get rid of it quickly. Of course, thinking like that got him in trouble many times as a child and even as a grown man with a family. "So this is what we're up against. Alright."

As Elon stood up, Link noticed that he had picked up shoulder plates and gloves, most likely from Hateno. Or what was left of it. Brutela followed him, the both of them grabbing their weapons. The distance they planned to go was short, and most monsters were physically incapable of swimming. However, now you couldn't even live anywhere without having a weapon with you, and carrying one had become a habit that they would panic if they forgot to tend to. Link doubted they would try to break it even after he got rid of the Calamity. There would still be Yiga, after all.

They started down a narrow, muddy path that was littered with several guardian shells, all of them appearing damaged beyond repair with their torn legs and various bolts, screws, and springs laying everywhere, half buried in mud.

At the end of the path was a huge lake, and in the center of the lake an elaborate fish tail carved out of stone protruded. At the bottom a Zora stood facing the water, a book held in her hands. Another hasty shelter had been built nearby, this one much larger than the last.

"It didn't look like this a couple of days ago, or even an hour ago," Brutela breathed as they approached the Zora. The sight before her made her sway on her feet.

The Zora glanced over her shoulder at the sound of their footsteps. "Ah, the Hylian Champion. The royal family was wanting to speak with you...alone. It's a private matter."

"Why?" Link asked, frowning.

"I don't know. They only told me it was private. Please, it's urgent. I think you can tell why."

 _Vah Ruta._

Link glanced back at the others, then reluctantly lifted the flap in the front of the shelter and went inside.

Having already seen his first Zora in a century, he thought he had a general idea of what they looked like. But no, the Zora royal family were different.

For one, they were huge—it would take about five people Link's size standing on top of each other to reach the king's height. The princess was at least a foot taller than the prince, the shortest one in the room. And the prince stood at nearly twice Link's height.

"Finally," the king said, leaning forward in his chair. "It seemed as if you would never wake up." He studied Link for a few moments. "I thought you had died along with the other Champions a century ago. I still find it difficult to believe that it's you, though two of your friends told me a couple of weeks ago that you were alive and on your way here, and you just had to take care of some business first. I would assume that you've taken care of that?"

Link nodded. The king smiled, then motioned toward the prince and princess.

"These are my children," he said. "You may remember Sidon, but he was only a baby when you last saw him. And this is Ziya, my youngest."

Though he seemed cheerful and even naive, Sidon had a spear sitting on the wall next to him, and several battle scars littered his muscular body, the most prominent being the one on his head. Bandages had been wrapped around his arm, though the seared black flesh beneath could still be seen. He waved as the king mentioned his name, offering Link what was supposed to be a friendly grin, but was instead terrifying due to his several rows of shark teeth.

Ziya's demeanor was cold and uninviting. When he wasn't looking, she stared intently at Link as if he held the answer to every question in the universe. She too had a spear sitting next to her, which she clutched with one hand. She simply lifted a hand when mentioned.

"I'm Dorephan. You don't have to address any of us with formalities. To me, at least, you're family."

Link nodded. He said nothing, but Dorephan seemed to expect that for he made no comment on it.

"Anyway, I think you've seen the trouble Vah Ruta has caused. The pride of our people—Zora's Domain—has been buried under all this water. We had expected this, of course, but not so quickly. Most of what you see has been done in a mere two days. I can only imagine what would happen in another two days. Or another We're well aware that only a Champion can calm it, and you... You'll help us, right?"

Link nodded. He couldn't see how this was a private matter.

"Thank you, though I suppose it's to be expected from a kind man like you. Anyway, about Mipha..." He nodded toward Sidon, who stood up, bringing the spear with him. Link noticed a shirt sitting in his hands. Scaled shoulder plates and an elaborate utility belt sat on top of the thin, blue fabric. It was evidently Zora made, for it featured the design of the Zora's Sapphire, the spiritual stone mentioned several times in legend and carved into nearly everything made by the Zora.

Sidon held it out, bending down slightly so the Hylian wouldn't have to break his neck to look up at him. Link reluctantly took it. What's this for...?

"My sister made this before the Calamity," Sidon said quietly. "We found it in her quarters. It's too small to fit a Zora, so it must be yours. You know of the tradition, correct?"

The air suddenly felt oppressive; all eyes were on Link. He had a feeling he didn't want to know the tradition.

"When a Zora princess plans to marry, she makes armor for her husband," Sidon said, responding to Link's silence.

 _And Mipha made this for me._

\

Though under any other circumstances, the armor would have been perfectly comfortable, now it felt too tight. The scales dug into his neck and hips, and the carved designs on the belt poked his stomach. He regretted stashing away his new shirt in his bag and leaving it with Ghirahim and the rest of the group; at least it was comfortable. Though they all wanted to help, Vah Ruta was underwater and the Zora didn't have the things they needed to reach it.

 _Mipha wanted to marry me._

He looked at the trident Sidon had given him, which had also belonged to Mipha. It was intricately carved, just like every other thing the Zora made, with little crystals at the ends.

Maybe at any other time, he would have been bothered by the fact that a Zora had wanted to marry a Hylian, but now? Now all he could think about was how he often thought of his life a century ago as a "past life". In that life, he'd even had someone planning to ask him to marry her, and friends and family and a job.

Now he had nothing except Ghirahim, a few Sheikah, and Princess Zelda. And Princess Zelda might very well be dead.

"You alright, Link?" Sidon asked, the voice coming from Link's left. Ziya stood on his right, giving him glances. Link was beginning to dislike her. Though his expressions could come out terrifying rather than friendly, Sidon seemed to be the kinder sibling. At least he spoke to him.

"I'm fine," Link replied.

"And you, Ziya. You've barely said a word since Link returned. I know you're not that quiet."

"I'm just thinking," Ziya said cooly, shooting Sidon a scowl.

Sidon persisted. "Usually, when you're thinking you're upset. What's wrong?"

For a moment, it seemed that Ziya wasn't going to answer. "This has become about Mipha. Link is helping us appease Vah Ruta so that we can save everyone from a flood, but Father insisted that Mipha might still be alive and told us to bring her back. It's always about Mipha. She died a hundred fucking years ago, but it's still about her. Father tried turning me into her—you've seen this since we were kids. And you saw how he tried to keep me from going with you guys because he was afraid I would wind up like her, too."

Sidon opened his mouth to reply, but the words never left his throat. As they ascended the stairs to the Reservoir Lake, where Vah Ruta stood, they lapsed into silence.

Link used the silence to try to recall who Mipha was. He'd learned that she was shy—she was kind, but she had trouble communicating her feelings. Later on, however, she became tougher, communicated better, yet she still rarely spoke about how she felt.

He never recalled her even mentioning marriage, but he knew that she had been closer to him than even to her own family. He could remember neither Sidon or Ziya, though Ziya was understandable.

At the top the trio caught eye of the Reservoir Lake. Several lumps floated in the water, which gave off a foul stench. It only took them a few minutes to figure out what it was.

"Well, there goes dinner," Ziya said, trying to keep the mood bright. But it had already fallen into the pits of darkness, and her words didn't help in the slightest.

"Vah Ruta is down there," Sidon said, taking the chance to tear his eyes away from the sight ahead of him. "The armor should allow you to breathe underwater." They paused, glancing at the water. No one really wanted to swim in that.

But they would have to.

Link was the first to dive in, then Sidon and Ziya followed.

The water was, as expected, dark and murky. Link felt a few moments of panic as the dark waters surrounded him, bringing him back to his first few moments of consciousness after a century when he was drowning, yet he couldn't move. However, by the time Sidon and Ziya were on either side of him, the feeling passed, and he realized that, somehow, the air were flowing through his lungs and he was alright.

Near the bottom of the lake, faintly visible in the water, was Vah Ruta's purple and red lights. Hesitantly, they swam deeper, the images of the surface above haunting their minds.

The Divine Beast had caused all of this. Link didn't want to think about what would have happened by now had he not freed Vah Medoh and Naboris.

As they neared the beast, it only became slightly more visible. First they spotted the trunk, then the "eyes", and finally the thick legs and torso. The lights glowed a distinct purple, which Link now associated with Ganon.

Ziya pointed, alerting Link and Sidon of the plumes of smoke and clouds of bubbles that suddenly erupted from the beast. As the smoke and bubbles cleared, they spotted the projectile headed straight for them. Or, more specifically, Link.

By now, Ganon had to be afraid. Link was nearly halfway to his goal and still going strong. And on top of that it was still sealed within the castle.

Never corner an animal, for it will lash out with everything it has.

Link desperately swam to get away from it, despite knowing that he would have never been able to even get close to matching the speed of the missile. Ziya yanked him out of the way, while Sidon did his best to stay far away from the missile. Though he would have normally been fast enough, the pain of his injury kept him from top speed.

 _We have to get inside, fast._

That was the only way he could think of where he could stop the missiles. While underwater, he was basically defenseless. But he could remember a drainage system inside the Beast that had made it like a submarine, where he would be able to fight and take control of Ruta.

But there was something inside the Beast, something through which Ganon could control it. There always was. He had to hope he could get inside and drain it before that thing got to them. Maybe it would be reliant on the water, and once they drained it it would be helpless.

He pointed at Vah Ruta, and both Sidon and Ziya nodded in understanding. Link had to be thankful that they needed nothing more than simple gestures for most communication. There was no way Link would even open his mouth in this water, much less try to speak.

Sidon approached the beast, cautious at first. However, Ruta never aimed a missile at him. Ziya had thrown up a weak, magical shield in an effort to fend off the missiles.

Sidon stopped near the leg, waving and pointing at it.

 _He must have found something._

Knowing they would have to be quick, Link started toward the entrance. Impatiently, Ziya gripped his arm tightly and pulled him along. When they got close they spotted the door beside Sidon. Ziya swam toward it.

As soon as they were inside the Divine Beast, the entrance door slammed shut behind them, effectively trapping them within it. Link flinched, turning around, half expecting to see Sidon.

But he had been shut out, and they had been shut in.

Surely the walls were closing in. Surely, in a few seconds, Link would no longer be able to breathe underwater and he would drown here. Just as he almost drowned when he just woke up.

Shut up! Link snarled at himself—at least in his head. Though Ganon would have likely jumped at the chance to take away whatever enchantment the armor had placed on it, that was one thing it couldn't affect.

And what about Sidon? He could almost surely handle himself, but with him out there, as the only potential target...

Link shuddered. He'd already been injured, and was therefore slower. Hopefully Ruta would decide to go quiet while Sidon (hopefully) got away.

Still, they had to get out of here fast.

The water inside was not any clearer than the water outside. The shapes of the Divine Beast's inner machinery and decorations loomed at the edges of the darkness, familiar objects appearing otherworldly. A control board sat nearby, but it didn't appear to be in working order. Somewhere within the beast, a red light flashed, staining the water red. Something also beeped constantly in the background, muffled and distorted by the water. At first it seemed erratic, but the more he listened to it the more he noticed that it had a rhythm, as if it were some sort of code.

He looked around, trying to find something, anything that seemed familiar.

He spotted a guidance stone and swam toward it, Ziya close behind him. He pulled out the Sheikah Slate, which surprisingly (at least to us reading this; no one then would have known that water typically damaged things like that) still worked. However, almost as soon as he placed his hand on the Sheikah Slate, a large form lunged from the darkness. Link barely avoided it by pulling himself behind the guidance stone and curling up, holding the slate close to his chest.

Ziya had moved somewhere out of sight—or perhaps the murky waters had obscured her from view. The form was a grotesque monster that resembled a rotting fish-human thing. Gooey Malice hung from its body in ribbons. It turned its head back to link, stretching its neck in ways that no neck should ever stretch, and bared its sharp teeth that could easily impale someone. It had a long, spiky tail and huge, sharp claws. And it was fast, too. Before Link had realized it moved, it was on top of him, ready to rip him to shreds. An Eye had grown on its face, and that Eye glared down at him with the hatred of a thousand men as it raised one of its claws.

Link, having not yet registered that within moments he could be dead, thought, _I've only been in here about ten seconds?_

Had Ziya been one second late, Link would have been dead less than a second after realizing that he was in danger. The thing only managed to swipe its claws across Link's face before a spear ran completely through it, poking Link's stomach. It screeched as Ziya pulled the spear back out, jerking away and holding up her spear protectively as it swiped at her too. Link scrambled away, not nearly as quick as he would have liked. The scratches on his face burned.

So long as he was underwater, he doubted he would be able to fight at all. He didn't have the speed of a Zora nor the agility—he had Mipha's trident, but he doubted he could do much more than hack wildly at the water and hope it did something. Not while he couldn't even touch his assailant.

 _This was a bad idea._

He hid behind what appeared to be Ruta's central control unit. Encased within glass, it glowed brightly in the dark. But he had been too slow, and the thing stalked toward him, knowing that it had trapped its prey. When Ziya tried to move in and stab at it again, it swiped at her, and its claws went deep. She retreated, clutching her stomach. Her face was contorted with pain.

The thing didn't care for Ziya. It only cared for Link. Because it was controlled by Ganon, and it knew that he was the true threat.

Link pulled out the trident and clutched tightly. He knew by now that Ganon's creations wouldn't harm it—it was the thing that allowed Ganon to control the Divine Beasts. If it were broken, the Divine Beast would be completely lost to both Hylians and reincarnated demon kings alike.

He remained behind the central control unit, waiting and praying that it didn't decide to surprise him from behind.

That was exactly what it did.

Its claws sunk into his back, sending searing pain all throughout his backside. He let out a cry that went unheard underwater, and twisted just in time for it to lunge at him, jaws wide open. He stabbed at it, managing to hit it in the back of the throat. It retreated, but lunged at him again, clawing wildly and driving him against a wall, in a corner at the ceiling. Everywhere on his body, Link had burning scratches and bite marks where it had tried to rip off one of his limbs, but he would always manage to stab it. He could barely feel the pain through his pumping adrenaline. He desperately gripped the trident, his only lifeline.

The thing was quite grotesque—its skin was red and disgusting, rotting away even as it fought, causing its eyes to bulge unnaturally. They were a bright shade of hazel, alarmingly human compared to the rest of it. The Eye sat directly between them.

The eyes felt familiar, too, like at one point in his life he had found himself looking into their gentle depths, but he was sure that at the time they hadn't been on this fish thing's face.

Then the realization hit him.

He sprang from the wall, stabbing the thing directly between the hazel eyes. It screeched, clawing at him desperately, quite possibly ruining yet another shirt. However, the armor did prevent the monster from inflicting any truly fatal wounds, so at least it had served the purpose that Mipha had intended for it. For a few small seconds, Link felt more alive than ever, and by the time the few seconds were over the thing had gone limp, and as he let go of it, it floated away in the water. Almost instantly, Link could feel the pain that he didn't feel before. However, he was almost too tired to respond to it.

As Ziya came out of her hiding spot, eyes wide, a bright green flash lit up the murky water. The light took shape in front of the central control unit, and within moments Mipha hovered before it, appearing almost exactly as she did before she died—she was dressed in full armor, with a chestplate and a headpiece and arm braces, and her eyes were missing, black, empty hollows taking their place.

Link wasn't sure if he felt nauseous because of the poison that was beginning to take effect or because of what Ganon had done to her. It wasn't unlikely that she had been alive when he'd done it. Hopefully she had been unconscious or dying, so that she wouldn't have felt the pain as much.

As if she could see, she turned to him, expression pained.

 _You...but it's been a hundred years. How?_

He felt her words rather than heard them. Ziya stared at her, awestruck, her eyes wide and her mouth hanging open.

Link found that he could not respond, not while he was underwater. Mipha frowned as she swam up to him, gently gripping his arm. Almost immediately, some of the burning pain from the wounds the thing had inflicted upon him faded. I will uphold my promise from one hundred years ago. But I can only do it once.

Link wanted to ask what promise. He couldn't remember; he was just now getting a clear look at her face for the first time since the Calamity. But no one can speak underwater, and without waiting she disappeared.

It was only after Link scanned the Sheikah Slate and moved the Divine Beast to a mountain nearby, where it got a clear view of Hyrule Castle, did he remember. They had been sitting on the trunk of Vah Ruta, overlooking Reservoir Lake and Zora's Domain when she said it. In one hand, she held his arm, and she ran the other over a deep gash from a run-in with a high-rank Yiga earlier that day. Her hand glowed, and within moments the wound had closed up. Then she looked up at him, voice quiet, and made her promise:

 _If you—if anyone tries to do you harm, then I will heal you. No matter when or how bad the wound, I will heal you._


	15. The Mask

Sidon and a group of Zoran soldiers stood at the pier of the Reservoir Lake, heedless of the constant rain. Elon, Teba, Ghirahim, and Brutela stood among them, too, watching the dull, murky water with intense gazes. Ghirahim glared at the water, then up at the rain, then at the rest of the Zora, the glare intensified by the deep purple under his eyes. The Zora all stared at the water as well, gripping their spears with almost inhuman strength, their faces wrought with worry. Not only was the Hylian Champion trapped within the Divine Beast, but so was the Zora Princess. They wanted to dive in and see if they could get to them, but last group of Zora to try to enter the Divine Beast never returned, and the things floating in the lake gave them an idea of what had happened.

Suddenly, the rain stopped, and their thoughts turned to panic.

A murmur broke out among the group. What happened? Had they stopped the Divine Beast?

They all jumped back as Vah Ruta shot up from the water on the other side of the lake, the waves that followed lapping against the pier on which the group stood, staring in awe as Vah Ruta climbed up one of the peaks, perhaps dangerously clumsy, slipping at times, but climbing the mountain nonetheless. Once it reached the top, it let out a roar and raised its trunk, allowing two rods to fall out as they began to glow. Within five minutes, a laser not unlike that of a guardian's shot out, though its target could not be seen, and the Beast went still and quiet.

The group stood in suspenseful silence, staring at Vah Ruta, which now glowed blue.

"Well, at least we know for sure the Champion's alive," Ghirahim said, earning glares from the rest of the group. He remained indifferent to them.

"How do you know?" one Zora said uncertainly.

"It's blue," Ghirahim said. "It belongs to him now."

They're within the Beast," Sidon said. "If what...Ghirahim? Yes, that's your name-says is true then we should try to meet them. Come! We have to make sure they're alright!"

Sidon started toward the mountains toward Divine Beast Vah Ruta, Ghirahim close behind him, and the others followed the lead of their future king,

/

With Vah Ruta in place, Link placed the Sheikah Slate back on his hip and stood up. Ziya, who sat next to him, was a little green around the gills.

"Sorry," Link said.

She shook her head and stood up, towering over him even when leaning over with her hand on the wall. "Nah. You're okay. I think that thing had poison in its claws."

Link frowned. "Can't you heal it?"

She shook her head. "If that was possible, Mipha would probably still be here."

The mention of her reminded Link of the Zora king's request to bring her back if she was still alive. He wasn't eager to go back now and tell him that she was, indeed, dead, but if they lingered here someone would find them and drag them back.

"Do you need to rest?" Link asked.

"I'm fine. I just hurt like a bitch. There should be an antidote at home if we can find it."

Apparently she was dizzy as well. Link had to attempt to help her get on the escape ladder on one of Vah Ruta's legs so she wouldn't fall the thirty or so feet to the ground below. He descended a few feet above her, once he was sure she would be fine.

"I have a question," Ziya said as they started downhill. Her tone of voice seemed...softer than usual.

Link looked up at her, silent.

Feeling rejected, she unconsciously put a foot of space between them. "Do you think I'm like Mipha?"

"No," he replied, raising a brow at her, wordlessly asking for an explanation.

For a few moments, she didn't respond, instead staring at the ground. "Everyone who knew her wants me to be like Mipha, especially Dad. It's the only reason I ever became a healer. I don't get it. I'm not her. I don't even look like her." She glanced at Link out of the corner of her eye to find him just looking away to think of an answer. He was silent for several minutes before she spoke again.

"You're not one of those people, are you?"

"No. I barely remembered who Mipha was when I met you, so of course not."

"Sorry I wasn't much help."

"You're the reason I'm alive right now. That's enough for me."

"You're not hurt," she noted. "I thought that thing clawed the shit out of you."

He shrugged. Did Mipha...?

"Where're you going next?"

Link pulled out the Sheikah Slate and looked at the location of the last Divine Beast, Vah Rudania. "Death Mountain. Then Hyrule Castle."

Link felt a pang in his stomach at the prospect of marching to Hyrule Castle. He knew by now that it was surrounded by guardians. He still couldn't beat one by himself, and Ganon would surely keep the castle well-guarded with plenty of them. And then Ganon itself was strong enough to make it into legend. He really didn't want to think about facing it one on one.

But the Master Sword...? Link thought. That's what it's called, right? Don't you need to get that?

I don't even know where it is. Maybe I can still beat Ganon without it.

"No one's made it there in a hundred years."

"Well I have to."

"Do you really?" Ziya said, looking away. "No one's holding a knife to your throat and forcing you. Someone else could do the job."

"And what am I gonna do if I don't do it?" Link looked up at her. "I'm over a hundred years old, and I was supposed to have died a century ago. There's only maybe three people besides the Zora that remember me. I have no home to go to, no family to tell me who I am. Sure, I have a couple of friends, but I still don't feel like I belong here. There isn't anything else for me to do but go after Ganon. And after that there'll be nothing left."

The look Ziya gave him told him that he said too much. He turned his gaze to the ground and fell silent. Though she toiled for a response, the Zora could not find one. They remained stuck in silence until someone a few feet away let out a cry and pointed at the two. When they looked, they saw that it was several Zora soldiers, along with the rest of the group. Sidon was at the head of them, and he let out a sigh of relief at the sight of the two.

"So you're okay."

"Uh, yeah," Ziya said, wincing slightly when her clawed hands brushed against her chest while motioning toward it. "A guardian set me on fire a couple of days ago and I still feel more pain than I did then. You happen to have an antidote for poison on you?"

"You were poisoned?" Sidon said, eyes widening.

"You wouldn't believe what happened today."

The group of Zora, excluding Sidon, exchanged nervous glances.

"What of Mipha?" Sidon asked, though he likely could have easily figured out the answer based upon the fact that Mipha was not there to answer.

For a few moments, everyone turned to Link, who could only find the courage to avert his eyes and stare at the grass. They waited expectantly.

"Dead," Ziya replied, saving Link from the trouble of having to admit the truth, and the Zora winced. "She has been for the past hundred years." She neglected to mention what Ganon had done to her, and it was probably for the best.

The group murmured among themselves. Those that had the chance to meet Mipha personally had trembling bottom lips and contorted expressions. Sidon's countenance remained strong, but anyone watching could have seen that countenance crack.

"Alright," Sidon breathed. "We should start back to tell Father."

/

"So, Death Mountain," Link said, looking up at the sky. The clouds that had been there since Vah Ruta started acting up were fading away, allowing streaks of sunlight to poke through. "I was thinking of trying to leave today."

They sat near the Zora Royal Family's tent, as Sidon had insisted that they had something to give him, that he just had to get them to cooperate. He also said he refused to make any promises on actually getting it.

Ziya had been escorted somewhere else to get treated for her injuries. By the time she'd gone, her expression was pained and her movement stiff.

Ghirahim looked up at him in genuine surprise. Usually, he was the one that initiated the discussion about such things, while Brutela actively participated while Link and Elon would occasionally contribute. Then he recovered and spoke, "That's not possible. It's already."

"But Ganon is getting stronger. It's already escaped once. We don't have a lot of time-"

"And then," Ghirahim said sharply, silencing Link to allow him to make his point, "we have to prepare to go to Death Mountain. There isn't much of a food source there, and then the conditions..."

"Elon and I can survive the conditions," Brutela briskly cut in.

"But Link? He's the one we really need to get up there."

"There's things we can get. I know of a place that has magic rings, and theres also an entire suit, although I doubt the suit is practical."

Ghirahim listened, waiting for her to finish speaking before he added his own knowledge. "But such things are expensive."

A silence fell over the group. They were all practically broke and unable to afford anything more than the food they would need.

"Do you think the Zora would have anything?" Elon asked.

"The Zora don't travel, and even if they did they would stick to cool, aquatic regions such as this one. The only reason they would have anything that could help us is for trade, which would mean we'd have to buy it."

"There's a village at the base of the mountain," Brutela said. "I went there once, with Lady Riju. She wanted to discuss trade with the Gorons and we passed through it. A lot of the things there are cheap."

Ghirahim grimaced at the idea, while Link and Elon's expressions lit up. "So we go there and hope they have it and that it's cheap enough for us to get? Because I doubt any of you would approve of the idea of stealing."

"It might come to that," Teba said. "Shit like that is rare these days. I doubt it'll come as cheap as we want it."

Elon agreed, then of course Brutela. Link seemed almost as hesitant as Ghirahim, but in the end he agreed. It was better than sitting there and hoping they could think of something else.

"Link," a voice called. When Link turned his head, he saw Sidon standing a few feet away, hands behind his back.

Link dismissed himself and joined Sidon behind a rock, hoping this would be quick. "Is Ziya okay?"

"She's fine, just in a lot of pain and very cranky. But by the time tomorrow is done I believe she will be back to normal. But we were discussing... She told me you were going to Death Mountain, but after that you're heading to Hyrule Castle. Right?"

"Yeah." Although he was a lot closer than he'd been weeks ago, it was difficult to believe that he was already almost done. In another few weeks, perhaps, Ganon would be dead and Link would be moving on to his life...whatever that would be.

"We were wanting to go with you. Father would likely throw a fit, but...we need to contribute to this effort somehow. I can't stand the thought of sitting safe at home while you go off to Hyrule Castle. No one has been there in a hundred years, and I doubt getting there would be easy."

Link glanced back at the others. "I think I'm fine-"

"With that small party?" Sidon said, motioning to the group on the other side of the rock. "Ever since Ganon took over Hyrule Castle, there's been countless guardians there, all of them hostile. You have to be able to take on multiple guardians at once. Most Zora have been trained to do that, and Father personally trained me and Ziya. It's the reason why there's so many of us left."

"But...this... I don't wanna get anyone killed. I couldn't shake the others out of it. When I was told to do this, Impa said me. Not me and twenty other people."

Sidon's expression turned serious. "What you're dealing with here is a legend. In fact, a couple of months ago a few archaeologists found cave paintings near the Temple of Time that are believed to predate Hyrule, and one of the demons drawn several times resembles what Ganon is now. To try to oppose something like that without help...it's foolish."

Link didn't respond. He supposed Sidon had a point, but worry gnawed at him. As if they were being watched, he glanced over his shoulder but nothing was there.

"Are you alright?" Sidon asked, following Link's gaze. Link simply nodded in response, prompting a frown from the zora prince, but he said nothing more of. "Don't get yourself killed, alright? Return here from Death Mountain and I promise we'll go with you. When are you leaving?"

"Today, hopefully. If not, first thing tomorrow."

"Oh..." He seemed disappointed, likely having hoped Link would stay longer. "I understand. Especially after a couple of nights ago it would be in your best interest to hurry. I wish you luck, and bye. I probably won't see you until you return."

"Bye," Link said, giving Sidon a slight smile as he turned to return to his group.

/

Death Mountain loomed over them as a constant threat. Occasionally they would hear the screech of the final Divine Beast-Vah Rudania.

They were all tired, dragging their limbs as if they had weights chained to them. With Ganon right alongside Death Mountain, they had begun to travel into the night, dealing with any stal-monsters that got in their way. They stopped around midnight, when the activity died down and they decided they would need the sleep for the next day.

As they traveled, on one side of them was Death Mountain. On the other side were stretches of lively green grass, burned into black ashes at parts, and the autumn leaves of Akkala. The trees were naturally like that, their leaves never falling off so more could grow back. The reason for that was never known despite the extensive research that had gone into the phenomenon before the Calamity.

"We're getting close," Brutela said as they rounded a bend in the road that went around one of the ginormous rocks that had fallen through one of Death Mountain's eruptions. "From what I was told, the village here was once Kakariko Village, but eventually the Sheikah simply picked up and left. No one knows why."

Link looked up at the mountain and figured he could take a guess. With the streams of lava running through cracks along its sides, and rocks that jutted out toward the mountain, making it appear to be some stronghold of some volcanic beast, it was quite intimidating.

He looked away when the sound of music reached his ears. The lively tune sounded as if it were coming from an accordion. Had it been in a better setting, it would have been a relaxing tune.

"We're close, but not that close," Brutela said with a frown. "Not close enough to hear music."

"Who the hell would be out here playing music?" Ghirahim said, eyes narrowing. Link watched one hand curl, readying itself for the weapon it planned to grab from midair, then the other got ready to snap and summon it.

They all paused when they were close enough to hear the voice that went along with the music. "Her appointed knight gives his life, shields her figure and pays the price," it sang, oblivious to those who listened.

"It's Kass," Link said. As he expected, Kass had the kind of voice that sounded beautiful when he sang. At Teba's questioning look, he added, "we met him in Faron."

As they rounded the corner, the blue Rito came into view, his back to the group as he played his accordion and sang. He really did look as if he were native to Faron, especially with his vibrant appearance.

As they approached, he turned to face them.

"I wouldn't advise ascending the mountain now," he said. "The Yiga have taken it over. They're desperate to keep you away from Vah Rudania."

"How do you know this?" Ghirahim immediately replied. "Rito can't survive the conditions there."

Kass pulled something from his pocket-a stone that glowed a distinct blue. "I used this to protect myself. They blocked me from entering the village at the base of the mountain, so I few up to Goron City. All I could find out was that the Gorons were captured before a Yiga caught me and nearly killed me."

This hardly alleviated Ghirahim's suspicion. "Why did you go in the first place?"

"I would assume you know Purah? The one who placed him in the Shrine of Resurrection?" He motioned toward Link. "She asked me to keep an eye on him once she knew he was awake. So I checked the road ahead for danger."

"Yeah, sure-"

"He's telling the truth," Link cut in sharply. Ghirahim sent him a glare, but questioned Kass's intentions no more.

"So how the hell are we supposed to get up the mountain?" Ghirahim asked.

"That's why I said I wouldn't advise ascending," Kass replied, a blanket of relief, likely from finally having Ghirahim's trust, covering his voice. "I don't know. If you try, I don't doubt for a moment that they would send ten men and the Divine Beast after you."

There was a pause in which they tried to think of a way to get up the mountain. The best way was to become invisible...or to blend in.

But how would they do that?

"I have an idea," Ghirahim said, startling the others out of their thoughts. "Lake Akkala isn't far. I know a guy."

For a few moments, Ghirahim distinctly reminded Link of a drug dealer. The demon laughed when he saw his frown.

"From the sound of that, this idea might get us in trouble," Brutela said, narrowing her yellow eyes.

"It won't unless you're stupid. If we want to make it through a Yiga stronghold, the only one we need to disguise is Link. We can just say that we want to join. It's not like they have tight security where they choose their members."

"They kind of do, considering they mostly capture and imprison their members," Elon pointed out.

"The only reason they might reject us is if we look weak or sickly. I doubt any of us will have any trouble."

"And what about fire protection?" Teba asked.

"They'll give us something."

"And I can lend my stone to one of you," Kass said. "I doubt I'll need it again."

"That would be great," Ghirahim said, and when Kass handed him the stone he passed it to Link, the most important one in the group. Teba scowled, his pride hurt.

"Now let's hurry," Ghirahim said, rushing downhill toward the lake in the distance, about a mile away. The sun was beginning to fall below the horizon, and as its glow sunk below the clouds they turned a distinct orange. The others rushed after him, somewhat suspicious that he hadn't revealed anything about this guy he supposedly knew.

They reached the lake within twenty minutes, and by that time the sky began to turn a midnight blue and the stars began to pop up across the sky. The lake glittered with the reflection of these stars as the group walked along the shore, heading toward what appeared to be a small structure in the distance.

As they neared it, the various items pinned to the walls and roof became visible. Most of these items weren't pleasant-among various masks which resembled monsters were those monsters's weapons, including a strangely made sword (which didn't mean it didn't look incredibly dangerous) which was coated with layers of dried blood and bits of flesh. One could assume that the sword had once belonged to the monster whose head now hung next to it, pinned to the wall. The monster resembled a dog in some ways, but it had white fur splayed about it, caked in blood in some parts, and two horns protruded from the side of its head. Its mouth hung wide open in an eternal roar that showed off its sharp teeth.

Link doubted he would want to run into one of those while they were alive. They looked huge and terrifying.

As they approached the tiny building, a man turned to face them, his eyes drooping. His mouth was abnormally long and his skin was a dark, sickly gray. He wore a black hood, but that only made him more intimidating despite his height.

"You?" the man said, pointing at Ghirahim. "I've heard of you."

"Then you know I'm not to be messed with," Ghirahim said, his tone suddenly icy.

Ignoring him, the man's eyes fell onto the two Gerudo, Teba, and then finally Link, where they lingered for a few moments before raising back up to Ghirahim. "Gerudo? A Rito? And who the hell is that next to you? He looks familiar. He might be the guy that killed my ma! I didn't know you were friends with these people!"

"I didn't come here for you to judge the people with me, Kilton," Ghirahim said coldly. Moments ago he'd seemed relaxed, but now his demeanor was threatening. "I just want something from you. You know, that mask I've heard about."

Link couldn't help but notice that Ghirahim refused to call them friends, and quietly wondered if that explained his behavior before, when they kissed.

Kilton smiled a smile that made Link distinctly uncomfortable. Behind him, the group grew restless. "So that's what you want?"

"Of course. And one thing-if the wearer is aware of it, what of the spirit inside the mask?"

Kilton stared at him in alarm, having expected something much different from him. "Well...it will continued to be trapped inside the mask, though the mask itself will change shape depending on the wearer. Just who do you plan to give this to?"

"No one you know," Ghirahim said quickly as he slid a red rupee onto the counter. Kilton hesitated, regarding the taller demon with an odd look, before he turned and pulled a mask from somewhere behind him.

The mask itself was odd. It looked as if someone had carved a general shape out of wood and left it to the buyer to paint and decorate. But based on what Kilton said, this was not the case.

/

"No way I'm putting that on," Link snapped, throwing the mask back at Ghirahim. Even as he held it in his hands he could feel the demon writhing inside, desperate to escape. "I'm not interested in having my soul consumed."

"I don't like this either," Teba said, standing tall. "There's a lot of risk."

"Surely there's another way," Elon added, appearing no less unsettled than Brutela, who remained silent. "We can't have him turning into a demon."

"He's fine," Ghirahim replied with a scowl as he caught it and threw it back. "It's not gonna consume Link's soul. Not unless he lets it."

Link stepped back to allow the mask to fall to the floor. "Not gonna even give it the chance."

"Well then what other brilliant idea do you have? We have to get up the mountain somehow."

They stood a few feet off the road, next to a pond.

Teba crossed his wings. "There's gotta be another way we can sneak through."

Ghirahim shot him a glare. "I looked myself. There isn't, not one that we can reliably use anyway. I think the entire Yiga Clan is here, plus the Gorons."

Link glared at the mountain behind them as the group fell silent, allowing themselves time to think. "So as long as I'm alert and conscious of the spirit, it can't do anything."

"Correct. And you're not going to be wearing it long. Just until we can find somewhere to stop."

"You're sure?" Link gave him a skeptical look.

"Do you not trust me?" Ghirahim said, sounding genuinely hurt.

"Sure," Link said, averting his eyes, "but I have major issues with this."

Ghirahim watched him carefully now, trying to determine the truth of his words. Or perhaps he already knew. "I don't like it much either."

Link grinded his teeth. He knew his own position in this; he was the most important person among those that still stood against Ganon, most of which had died a couple of days ago. If something happened to him because of this, there would be no one left thaf could stand against it.

But there didn't appear to be any safe way out of this.

Link picked up the mask, staring at it. So long as he was cautious, he would be fine, right?

"Alright. Fine. Let's get this over with."

At that moment, he felt the presence that he'd felt on Mount Lanayru again, this time closer, much closer. He figured that if he glanced over his shoulder, he would see some shapeless, demonic entity hovering over his shoulder, staring down at the mask with him. Yet when he looked, there was nothing there.

Ghirahim stared at him, expression wrought with consternation. Had he felt it too?

Goddesses, I hope I'm not going crazy.

Though uneasy, he donned the mask, half expecting to go through some painful transformation. However, for a few moments nothing happened. Once those few moments were over, he felt cold, incredibly cold, as if he were trapped in an icebox with no warm clothing. He could feel something pressing at his mind, trying to gain entrance.

No, he thought, the voice in his head firm and commanding. The thing backed off.

Ghirahim stared at him, eyes widening. "Who the hell are you supposed to be?"

"What?" Link asked, looking down at his hands, or what was supposed to be his hands. The fingers were an ashy gray now, with thick gauntlets unlike those he wore before. His hands and arms were also thicker, more muscular. When he glanced down, he saw that everything else was black or ash gray, too. The tunic was unfamiliar to him, but it seemed like he should have known it. "Am I supposed to look like this?"

The others stared at him, able to see more than he did. Yet when he glanced into the pond, hoping to see what they saw, he only himself.

"This is probably normal," Ghirahim said after a considerable pause. "I haven't used it before, so I didn't know. I thought it would likely look like you, just...different. We should get going."

It doesn't feel normal, Link thought, deeply unnerved. He followed after the others, unable to shake the feeling that he'd just made the stupidest decision of his life.


	16. You'll Be Fine

Whoops i've been updating on Wattpad and forgetting to update here

* * *

The group walked in silence for several miles, heads down, hands trembling, stomachs churning. It was because of their fear that they all flinched when Ghirahim spoke.

"Hide your Sheikah Slate," he said, motioning toward Link's hip. "I almost forgot. That would be an instant giveaway. You're the only one ever to have one like that."

"What about the Champions?" Link said, reluctant to move the Sheikah Slate to somewhere where he couldn't simply place a hand on his hip and rest assured that it was there. It was the only reason he had made it this far on his mission. "Riju mentioned Urbosa having one."

" _Lady_ Riju," Brutela sharply corrected before Ghirahim could even come up with a reply.

Ghirahim shot her an annoyed glare, then looked back at Link. "Sure, they had one, but it was different. Theirs could only control one Divine Beast, while yours can override theirs _and_ control all four Divine Beasts without having to be near it. They were probably destroyed, anyway."

"If this thing can do all that, then how come I'm having to go inside these Divine Beasts and take them back over the hard way?" Link said with a scowl. Has he really been doing this the hard way the entire time?

"Do you think I know? I'm not Sheikah. In fact, the Sheikah _hate_ me. But I'm certain that if there was an easier way to take these things back then you would have been told about it by now."

The road had just begun to turn rocky and uneven as well as unstable, with pieces of it chipping off and falling into the lake below, and had Brutela and Elon not left their horses at a nearby stable they would have been forced to abandon them and hope they could survive on their own.

With a groan, Link stuffed the Sheikah Slate in his bag with the outfit Brutela had gotten him (which he desperately needed to get rid of), his Champion's tunic, and the Rito outfit, where he prayed that no one would find it. Moments after he slung the bag over his shoulder they spotted their first Yiga.

The Yiga was a tall, slender Gerudo woman who wore a mask with the upside down Sheikah symbol, but otherwise had hardly abandoned her typical desert style. She stood in the middle of the road, watching them approach with her Gerudo-made claymore clutched tightly in her hands.

"What are you doing here?" she asked the approaching travelers, voice low and unwelcoming. "The Yiga are over this mountain now."

"We want to join your clan," Ghirahim said cooly, heedless of the annoyance in her voice. He offered her a smile, but it was the sort of smile that achieved the opposite effect it was intended for.

She studied Elon, Brutela, and Teba, her eyes narrowing at the Rito—if there were _any_ Rito in the Yiga, there were very few. The she looked at Ghirahim, the assumed leader of the group.

"Go," she finally said. "I doubt a Rito would truly want to join us."

Ghirahim's eyes widened slightly, but he didn't step back and leave. His pride would not allow him to do so. His grin widened and he said, "Maybe the Rito don't want to join you because you refuse to accept them."

She paused, sending the demon a glare. Link had to hold back a laugh, but she heard the stifled giggle and turned her glare to him.

"Don't make me say it again," she said, her accent becoming thicker the faster she said her words. "Go." She shifted the claymore in her hands, preparing to properly wield it.

This time the demon didn't respond, instead continuing to stand his ground. Behind him, the others appeared uneasy. They were in enemy territory, attempting to pass as one of them, and here they were pissing one of the enemy off first thing.

However, no one moved, watching Ghirahim and this Gerudo carefully. Perhaps, had either Link or Ghirahim decided to retreat, they would have as well, but for now they stood their ground with clenched fists and curled wings.

This only seemed to anger the Gerudo further. As she lifted her sword, ready to strike, the spot where the Malice had embedded itself into the back of her arm was visible. Ghirahim swung his body back as she attacked, holding up his hand in defense while the other pushed Link away. When she swung again, he caught the blade in his palm, staring the girl in the single eye on the mask, where two eye holes could be seen. He still grinned at her, and once she noticed this she let out a snarl similar to a rabid animal.

"What's this?"

The voice caught the entire group off guard. Ghirahim broke eye contact with the Gerudo to look at the Yiga that had intruded on their private brawl, and Link followed his gaze. The source was a tall, fat man with a spiked mask that he hardly bothered to wear, and therefore simply had strapped to the side of his face. He wore a high collar and a thin, red bodysuit, just like the last time Link had seen him.

At once, he recognized Master Kohga.

 _But I killed him!_ the Hylian Champion thought, eyes going wide. _I know I did!_

Did he really? He'd been running on adrenaline. He hadn't exactly checked to see if Kohga was dead before fleeing the scene.

 _But he had to be. Otherwise he would have been after me again after a few minutes, right?_

He didn't know. He wasn't an expert on such things.

Kohga studied Link and his group with a single, keen eye. The other eye, _the Eye,_ stared as well, watching them carefully, but Link suspected it was not Master Kohga who looked through that eye.

"Is this the demon we discussed?" Kohga asked, pointing toward Link. "The demon we were looking for?"

He looked at Ghirahim, who still held the Gerudo woman's sword in his hand, and Link right behind Ghirahim, who stared at the leader of the Yiga clan with terror that quickly vanished when he realized that he didn't recognize him.

The terror reawakened full force when he realized that Kohga had mistaken him for a demon that, apparently, they had been trying to find. Anything that the Yiga clan was hunting down now had to either be a huge enemy of the Yiga Clan or a major asset in Ganon's success. Considering it was a demon, it was likely the latter.

"Riala," Master Kohga said, his tone warning of the anger that was to come. "Are you trying to _kill_ him?"

"M-master, it's not-" the Gerudo said, but Kohga silenced her with his own voice.

"How _dare_ you attack him!? Do you realize how valuable he is to our success? Are you _wanting_ us to fail?"

The Gerudo pulled her sword back toward her own body, hands trembling. Ghirahim didn't relax, staring at her warily. "I didn't think it was him," she said quickly, any firmness in her voice now long gone.

"You knew what he looked like. Go home. I will decide what to do with you later."

The request was similar to what a parent would tell their young child when they got in trouble, but coming from the mouth of the leader of the Yiga Clan it was terrifying. It was difficult to believe that anyone but a sadist would want to hear about what Master Kohga would do to that girl. Link felt bad for her—she was only possessed, just like the people in Gerudo Desert had been. Perhaps had she not been captured she would have been able to lead a normal life, and she wouldn't be at all in the situation she was now.

Kohga turned to the group, a horrible, deformed smile on his face. "My apologies. She seems to have lost her way. Now, are you the shadow demon we have been looking for?" He motioned toward Link, expecting him to answer.

Ghirahim's expression lit up in alarm, but he was disregarded.

Link hesitated, then shrugged. Would this demon know that the Yiga were looking for it?

Kohga's smile didn't vanish. "Well, I guess you wouldn't know anyway. But, I know you are. I've seen visions of you, sent to me by Ganon. He wanted me to find you."

 _So this demon isn't an enemy of the Yiga,_ Link thought. The knowledge was hardly comforting—the demon they wanted was somewhere out there, and it was likely to become another obstacle.

He looked at the rest of the group, the smile slowly vanishing. "So are all of you wanting to swear allegiance to Ganon along with him?"

Teba wasn't at all happy with the situation, but he nodded. Laine and Brutela were especially hesitant, having seen him before and knowing exactly who he was and what he had almost done to them. But they nodded, knowing that this was the only way to get up the mountain in one piece.

He considered them, eye narrowed, but then motioned for them to follow. "There _is_ strength in numbers, and you seem competent enough."

They listened to him, avoiding looking at him as if through that he could recognize who they were loyal to. Link's heart pounded, sending spasms of pain throughout his chest and body.

He likely should have been concerned about his chest pains, but he was too paranoid that Kohga was going to discover who he was to be concerned about a bit of mild pain.

It wasn't long before they entered the village Brutela had told them about. It consisted of a single road, and on each side of this road small houses and shops stood. It resembled a ghost town; there were only Link and his group, Kohga, and then a small man that scurried out of sight once he spotted Kohga and the Hylian who he thought was a demon. If the Yiga weren't occupying the area, it would have been lively with children playing and shop owners advertising their wares to those that passed by on the road.

He knew, because he had passed through here once, with Zelda, on their way to visit Daruk in Goron City and see how he was doing with the recently named Divine Beast Vah Rudania. She was sullen, having prayed at the Spring of Power the day before to no avail. He quickly recalled that she also hated Death Mountain with a burning passion and was less than fond of the Gorons, mostly because of where they lived. The Gorons themselves were usually too nice for her to despise them.

Master Kohga led them to one of the larger buildings, which had begun to rot with neglect and age. Inside, it was empty save for a single bed, and spiders occupied every corner. The cobwebs on the ceiling and walls were so thick that they resembled curtains and the strings that were usually attached to them. A large, but dusty, bed sat in a corner along with a desk.

Something about the room was familiar, but at the moment Link couldn't place it.

He glanced at a door across the room, however, and his mind put the pieces together. A century ago he and Zelda had come here to stay the night.

\\\

Beyond that door was the bedroom Link had slept in. It was tiny, with a simple bed and desk. Princess Zelda slept in the larger room.

Link himself had sat at that desk in that tiny room, scribbling in a small notebook that he tended to carry with him despite its relative uselessness. At one time, perhaps before the present Link could remember, it would have served as a good tool to vent his emotions, but now he found himself hardly able to form the words that he would write in this book.

"Why are you so quiet?" Ghirahim asked, his voice lacking the usual, obnoxious snobbishness that it had during the day. Link would have flinched had he not been half asleep-he was sure that the demon hadn't been there moments before.

Link didn't answer. He'd been asked that question hundreds of times, even by his own father, but he couldn't answer any of these people when he didn't know the answer himself, at least not at that moment. He couldn't explain his own behavior; he didn't understand why, suddenly, he lacked the words he usually had, why, suddenly, he also lacked the emotions he usually did.

"I asked you a question," Ghirahim snapped. "I expect an answer."

Despite Ghirahim's demands he did not answer. He continued to scribble on the page, unaware that he was running out of room. Just this once, he tried to form an answer, just this once maybe he could explain himself. But all he managed to do was apply more pressure to the pen by the second. Why was it that his voice always failed him?

"Hello? I'm right here." Ghirahim's voice rose as he stepped closer, likely sick of trying but failing to get a single, verbal response out of the Hylian Champion. "What's wrong with you? Have I already pissed you off that much? I haven't even done anything to you."

No, Link wasn't mad at him. More like he pitied the guy—he'd woke up in Faron Woods with no idea of where he was, and almost immediately he latched onto Link, completely ignoring that Link did not know this man, refusing to admit that he was distraught. And in an attempt to further hide that fact he purposely annoyed the shit out of Link and Zelda, commenting on nearly everything with a snobby attitude. But Link found it difficult to form the simple word "No," on his lips and make his voice work, and therefore retreated back to the blissful silence where he could consume himself in his own thoughts.

He applied more pressure to the pen, not caring that nothing on that page resembled a drawing or a word anymore.

"What the hell are you doing anyway?" Ghirahim said, stepping closer. He didn't demand an answer this time.

Despite the pity he felt for the guy, Ghirahim deeply unnerved Link. It felt strangely as if he'd known him for ages, and the fact that Ghirahim had recognized and knew his name—despite knowing nothing else about him—did not help at all. It didn't help when Ghirahim stepped closer either.

He flinched as a loud rip tore through the room, announcing the ripped paper. He stared down at it, feeling oddly numb, but only for a few seconds. Ghirahim looked over his shoulder at the notebook, which caused Link to grip the pen hard enough for it to crack in his fist.

"Oh," was all Ghirahim said, but the concern for Link's state of mind was still evident in his tone. And it infuriated Link.

\\\

Link couldn't remember anything after that moment, but he was sure he had taken out at least a little of whatever had been on his mind then on the demon who had unfortunately been there at the time. The last thing he recalled before his mind failed him was waking up the next morning feeling incredibly guilty for going crazy enough for Ghirahim to flee and for Zelda to wake up and get a Goron to restrain him so that she could sedate him. But the guilty feeling had only lasted a few seconds, as far as he recalled. He'd barely been able to remember anything at the time, and he barely could now.

Ghirahim nudged him to pull him out of his thoughts, a disapproving frown written on his face. Kohga was talking to him and he hadn't been listening. "Are you alright?" Kogha asked, likely more worried if Link—who he thought was a demon—could do his job without getting distracted rather than about his actual well being.

"He's just distracted," Ghirahim said quickly, gloved fingers digging into Link's back as warning and a call back into the present.

"A bit more than that if he completely ignored me," Kohga said coldly. "I asked your name, guy," he said, to Link.

For a few, dreadful milliseconds Link froze. _What am I supposed to say? I can't just call myself Link._ Realizing that he'd already taken too long on that simple thought, Link spat out, "Licorice."

He flushed at Ghirahim's eye roll.

 _Licorice of all things? I don't even like licorice. The last time I ate any was probably over a century ago._

"Licorice?" Kohga said, drawling over the word. "Strange...but I suppose it works.

At least he accepted it. Link breathed a quiet sigh of relief.

"Anyway," Kohga said sharply, "this will be where you sleep until I send Licorice up to Rudania, which will hopefully be the day after tomorrow. I would assume you want to go with him, so I'll send you as well. The more the better."

The others glared at the dusty room, not at all happy with the conditions. But at least everyone had made it in alive. Now all they had to do was make it out.

Link didn't want to consider how quickly he had earned Kohga's trust just by posing as some demon. This had to say something about that demon's strength and skill. He wasn't even complaining about the house—he just hoped that he would never have to deal with that demon ever.

\\\

Ghirahim scowled at Link out of the corner of his eye. The room was dark, with a simple candle illuminating the small area in which the pair sat. They were the only ones awake; the others slept on the floor, though Teba had given the bed due to not being _completely_ recovered from his near-death experience. His wing still needed more time to heal, and sleeping on a dusty, stone floor likely wouldn't have helped it.

"I can't _believe_ you're making us call you Licorice."

Link frowned. "What was I supposed to say? I had only a second to come up with a name."

"And you thought of candy."

"Kohga accepted it."

Ghirahim sighed, rubbing his forehead. "I can't believe you. You're over a century year old and you've already named your horse and _yourself_ after candy like a child. What next? Are you going to nickname me white chocolate?"

Link shrugged. "That sounds like a decent nickname to me."

"I will kick your _ass._ "

" _Anyway,_ White Chocolate," Link said with a grin, earning himself a death glare from Ghirahim, "or maybe peppermint is better. You could have told me I needed to come up with a name."

"I didn't _know,"_ Ghirahim snapped. "I had no idea we were going to run into Kohga or anything like that. I thought we could make it up there quickly and easily without even having to spend the night here. Maybe we can get there by tomorrow."

"Do you think it would be safe if I take off my mask until tomorrow?" Link asked.

"No. You can tomorrow, when we get away from these people."

Link frowned deeply. He still knew the risk of wearing this mask—if he wasn't careful, he could wind up possessed. Now he had to wear it until tomorrow? He looked down at his tunic, noticing the faint red light on it. Was that from his eyes? At least now he had an idea of what he looked like.

Creepy.

Such knowledge did not make him feel better. Only worse. He probably didn't look anything like he normally did. Did any of his friends even think of him as Link while he was wearing that mask? Was that why he'd caught them giving him looks on the way here?

Sensing Link's growing worries, Ghirahim asked, "Do you recognize this place?" He shifted so that an arm was around Link's shoulders, and motioned toward the room. "It didn't look quite so terrible back then. You and Zelda would stay here when you went to check on Daruk."

 _The Goron Champion,_ Link guessed. "Yeah, I recognized it earlier. The memory was nothing too pleasant."

Ghirahim's hopeful smile vanished. "You remembered the scene you caused here, didn't you? I'm surprised. The next day you didn't even remember trying to kill me during your episode."

"I tried to kill you?" He looked up at him, brows furrowed deeply.

Ghirahim shook his head and looked away. "I shouldn't have mentioned it. I probably provoked it. You were deeply troubled and I kept bothering you."

"I'm sorry."

At this, Ghirahim leaned in, but he stopped just inches from Link's face, allowing the Hylian's warm breath to wash over his jaw and nose. Link stared at him expectantly, eyes widened slightly. But it didn't feel like Link. It felt as if someone else was staring at him through the red eyes that now cloaked his blue ones, someone who mocked and jeered at him for being a demon hopelessly attached to a Hylian.

The demon swallowed hard and pulled away. Link was obviously hurt by the action, but he could still see that someone somewhere within him, and that someone was pissed, very pissed that Ghirahim had not done what it wanted him to do. "You don't have to apologize," he said, hiding the worry that threatened to pervade his voice. "You did a century ago, in tears. It's behind us now—I'd almost forgotten it until you mentioned it."

"Is there something wrong with me?" Link said, completely ignoring Ghirahim's words. His voice came out in a low, dangerous growl. Ghirahim looked at him and saw that someone, and that someone had hidden the real Link away until it had its say in the matter.

"Why are you getting angry?" Ghirahim asked, pulling away from him. _That isn't Link. I don't know who the hell that is, but it's not him._

"You kissed me in Zora's Domain. I know you did. Elon, Brutela, and Teba would agree with me. But now you don't even like me, do you? What was that just now? Are you trying to fuck with me, just like the demon you are?" His voice rose with each word. Anymore, and someone would wake up.

That left him dumbstruck, his mouth hanging open, ready for his mind's reply while his mind lagged far behind. That comment really did sting; for a century he had been trying to deny who he was, a demon. And here he was, being reminded of that and that he was probably acting the way he did _because_ of that. But how had it known something like that? Was it truly Link speaking? Or was it just smart?

"Calm down," he said, sounding as firm as he could when he was shaken.

Almost immediately, the anger fell from Link's face. Link sat there, completely still, his body still looming over Ghirahim while Ghirahim leaned back and away from him, lips pressed tightly together. Perhaps, if one was human and the other wasn't wearing a mask, both of them would have been as pale as a piece of notebook paper.

The eyes that stared at him resembled that of a child who had lost their parent in a sea of adults—it was a look of pure terror that quickly vanished as Link moved back, eyes glued to the ground. "I'm sorry. I—"

"It's fine. I suppose you have reason to be angry with me."

"But I'm _not._ I mean, I guess I've been upset, but not like that."

 _Is it the mask_? Ghirahim thought. But he doubted Link would just let a demon like that take control so easily. And masks like that that were sold for cheap usually had weaker spirits than those sold at a higher price. Link could easily fend something like that off, especially when he was aware of it. It was why he went to the cheap asshole by Lake Akkala—the spirits in his masks were so weak that they needed to be given permission to enter their host by the host themselves.

"You should go to bed," Ghirahim said. "Perhaps you're just tired. You'll feel better in the morning."

"But the mask?" Link readily accepted the idea that he was simply tired.

"You'll be fine," Ghirahim said, following his lead. "The spirit is really weak, to the point where it's nearly ineffective. I got that mask in particular because it's practically a scam. If it does somehow try anything, I can probably stop it before anything truly bad happens."

Trusting Ghirahim's word, Link stood up and moved near the two Gerudo on the floor, where he lay. Within moments, he was still, but Ghirahim could tell he wasn't asleep.

Though he tried his best to empty his mind and fall asleep, Link couldn't find that blissful dream world here he hid until morning. Even when he'd cast off his worries, even when he closed his eyes, he could not find that dream world. Eventually Ghirahim moved beside him, hesitantly running a hand through his hair, which felt coarse and greasy while he wore the mask, attempting to lull him to sleep.

Nothing worked.


	17. The Execution

Around six in the morning, as he usually did, Ghirahim stood up and began rousing everyone from their sleep. He typically went in order from hardest to easiest, which meant Link came first.

Yet as soon as the demon stood up Link stood up as well. He'd already been awake.

His shoulders slumped as he stood and his eyes, sharp and even dangerous the day before, were dull. Ghirahim also noticed that he was slower than usual, stopping every two seconds to yawn.

 _This isn't going to help us,_ Ghirahim thought bitterly. If Kohga decided to make them do _anything_ that required any effort, the amount of sleep Link got the night before, which was none, would be evident.

"Why didn't you sleep last night?" Ghirahim asked.

"I couldn't," Link snapped, interested in nothing but being left alone.

Ghirahim didn't reply, not wanting to get into a pointless argument, instead moving on to wake the others. He still simmered under the surface. Thus far, Kohga's faith in this demon he believed Link to be had gotten them very far very quickly. If Kohga lost faith, or even if he saw through the disguise, it wouldn't go as well as he hoped.

But he wasn't really sure that it would go well at all. He's noticed the looks Kohga tended to shoot at Link, as if there was something about him he didn't approve of at all. The only other person Ghirahim was sure that noticed it was Teba, and no doubt that was because he'd been trained for things such as spotting an enemy in the dead of night.

Kohga possibly already knew who Link actually was and was simply baiting them into believing that he didn't. If he made it known they would have to be ready to run.

The door flew open and Kohga's form took up nearly the entire frame as he stepped inside, disregarding manners that had been instilled into society thousands of years before. You know, things like _knocking on the door._

"Well, it's nice to see that some of you are early risers," Kohga said pleasantly. Ghirahim made it a point to ignore him, instead moving on to the Rito on the bed. Link followed his example and began to shake Elon out of his sleep.

Kohga did not appear to notice, his face never losing its pleasant yet unnerving smile. Maybe it was only unnerving because of the Malice that mauled it.

"I was going to send you to the Divine Beast today, but there was something I think at least Licorice over there would like to see." His grin turned absolutely horrifying as he turned to Link, who hardly seemed to notice him. "The beheading of a Sheikah. Three, in fact."

Link felt a rush of nausea and rage crash over him and it took every ounce of effort he had after a sleepless night not to throttle the Yiga leader in rage. Why would he think he wanted to see that? How disgusting did you have to be to want to show someone an execution like a child showing everyone a cool stone they found?

He probably _would_ have throttled Kohga had Ghirahim not glanced at him, eyes narrowed. That was the same look that often kept Link from making stupid decisions, at least recently.

He couldn't ruin this. It would get them all killed.

But he couldn't just let that happen either.

Teba spoke up. "Wouldn't it be safer to just go ahead and send us to Rudania?"

Kohga shook his head. "It is well protected while we are here. No doubt the Hylian Champion is weakened from three out of four Divine Beasts."

 _They don't know I broke the curse?_ Link thought, trying to hide his surprise. The Yiga hadn't been watching him?

The Yiga were really stupid.

 _Unless they're actually smart and you're falling for it._

Teba continued. "Still...from what I understand, this is your last stronghold. Surely-"

"This may be our last stronghold, but look around you." Kohga grinned. "Does the Malice not seem more frequent? The monsters? How many Hylians or Rito have you seen? We have the Gorons under our control, and their leader along with the descendant of the Goron Champion have been killed. The leader of the Gerudo, who is also the descendant of the Gerudo Champion, is also dead. Soon, we will kill the family of the Zora Champion. The hope for those opposing Ganon is a Divine Beast they have no idea how to control. While this is our last stronghold, our enemy doesn't _have_ a stronghold."

Link swallowed hard and looked away. The others appeared more shaken than he was, though they tried to hide it. Supposedly their leaders were dead despite whatever defense their people had built. Brutela was particularly pale, licking her lips nervously as she gathered her things. _Gods, and Riju was only a child.._.

And the Zora royal family was in danger, but there was no way to warn them unless Ghirahim was willing to exhaust himself getting there.

"Anyway, get your things together," Kohga said, blind to the others' fear. Or maybe he was relishing it. "I'll go with you up to Goron City so you can watch. And you, Rito. If you truly believe the Hylian Champion could make it through our defenses, then why don't you have a look around the Divine Beast? Maybe you'll find him."

The grin Kohga still wore was still unnerving, especially as he spoke to Teba. Something in his tone was malicious.

Teba looked hardly relieved to escape witnessing a public execution, giving Kohga a cold, hard stare. "I don't have any protection to get up there."

Kohga tossed Teba a stone similar to Kass's. His voice was cold as he repeated his order. "Go. I don't want to see your face until you know he's not there."

Teba caught the stone and stuffed it in one of the pockets of his uniform. With one final, apprehensive glance at the rest of the group, he walked outside and out of sight, Kohga watching him as he went.

One down, four to go.

/

Kaneli? Kaneli was dead?

Teba could hardly grasp the concept.

The elder had been around since before he was born. Kaneli had known Master Revali personally, although briefly, and as a result he had a great deal of respect.

He had watched Teba as a child and seen how reckless and stubborn he was. Once the little Rito set his mind on something, not even his parents could talk him out of it. Of course, plenty of times this along with his temper got him into trouble, but he considered it one of his strengths. He wasn't a quitter, and he wouldn't let anyone around him be one either.

Kaneli had been the one to see that, and he had personally reccomended that Teba join the ranks of warriors within the village. He was the reason he was here this very moment, on Death Mountain, even if he hadn't been very helpful yet.

But he would do it, in time. He had some experience in things not typically heard of by Rito. For example, shadow magic, disguises and such. Usually the Sheikah were the ones experienced in such things, but Teba found that he could wield it as easily as any Sheikah. It was a strange talent he'd discovered as a teenager when he'd accompanied Kaneli to Kakariko Village in an attempt to figure out what to do with the inactive Divine Beast perched along the edge of the lake surrounding their village. In time...

He let out a shaky breath as he held up his wings, allowing the wind to carry him into the air.

Kaneli had been old anyway. And Teba had a job in front of him. Hopefully Link wouldn't be too pissed at him for getting away.

He looked at Death Mountain and its rocky cliffs and glowing rivers of lava. Vah Rudania crawled along these cliffs as quickly as any normal lizard, which was alarming considering its size. It didn't help that it occasionally let out the high pitched shriek, as if some unseen entity was trying to kill it. Then it settled, and all fell quiet on the mountain.

Hadn't Vah Medoh done the same thing with Link? But Vah Ruta moved as quietly as it could when it was that size. Perhaps Link was getting better with that thing he used to control them.

The Rito chose one of the rocks jutting out of Death Mountain and settled down. The heat from the lava crashed over him endlessly in waves, but he did his best to pay it no mind.

He knew he had to make himself useful, but for the moment he felt to numb to do so.

Then he spotted a large, orange thing climbing among the rocks. It was a lumpy and clumsy thing, occasionally slipping and letting out a cry of fear. While it had large hands to work with, its feet were tiny.

It took him a moment, but Teba realized it was a Goron.

Around this Goron's neck and hanging down his back as a sort of cape was a cloth the same color as Link's blue tunic-the Champion's Tunic.

The Goron continued upward, unaware of the Rito watching him. What was he doing?

Teba lifted his wings once more and glided toward the Goron, landing on one of the rocks below him and quickly grabbing a hold. He made sure he wasn't directly under the Goron before calling out to him.

"Hey!" Teba called. The Goron jumped at his voice, and likely would have fallen had he not quickly retained his hold on a rock. The Goron turned his head, staring down with wide, beady, purple eyes.

"Who are you?" the Goron asked, trembling. It was strange seeing something that intimidating and large trembling at the sight of a Rito.

"Teba. From Tabantha," he responded, brows furrowing.

Although he didn't really know how to tell the age of a Goron, as Gorons and Rito never really interracted, he could tell that this one was young just by his voice. He wasn't a young child, but he was young enough for it to cause some concern.

"A Rito?" the Goron said after a few moments. "How did you get here? The Yiga are everywhere."

"I'm posing as one of them with a few friends. Trust me, I'm not a Yiga. What's your name, kid?"

The Goron hesitated. "Yunobo."

Teba looked at the blue cloth around Yunobo's neck. "You're aware that if the Yiga see you they'll kill you, right? It's dangerous out here, Yunobo."

"They'll kill you too," Yunobo replied. "I have to go up there. I think I can calm Rudania. And if I do that, maybe I can free everyone."

 _That's ambitious..._ "You think you can do that alone? You're only a kid! _I_ tried something like that and probably would've died if I was alone!"

"Maybe it'll go better for me," Yunobo replied, voice trembling. At least Teba had managed to rattle him. "I'm a descendant of Daruk. I have some of his skill and powers."

 _Powers?_ Teba thought, briefly thinking of Revali's ability to manipulate the winds to his advantage.

At least now he was somewhat sure that Kohga had either been lying or was wrong when he said he killed the descendant of Daruk. There wasn't any way he could have gotten that cloth otherwise.

"Even if you have all that, you're still just a kid!" Teba snapped. Yunobo flinched at the harsh tone that overflowed the Rito warrior's voice. "If you try all that alone, you'll only die!"

"Then what am I supposed to do?" Yunobo was beginning to shy away. He barely even knew the guy and here he was yelling at him. "I can't disrespect Daruk's legacy. I have to do this."

"I know a guy who can help you," Teba said quickly, hoping this would at least get Yunobo to wait a bit before going up to Rudania. "Wait a couple of days. He's trying to get up here."

Would Link want him to tell this random Goron that he was the Hylian Champion? Everyone's heard the stories that the Hylian Champion had been hidden away, awaiting the day he recovered enough from his wounds in battle to emerge and defeat the Calamity. It was just a matter of if this kid believed that story or not.

"How do I know he can help me?"

 _I hope he believes the stories._ "He's helped a lot of other people. And he can control the Divine Beasts. He's on his way to regain control of this one now."

"Only a Champion with the Sheikah Slate can do that..." Yunobo turned and nodded toward his chest where what looked like a slab of rock with a Sheikah emblem and another symbol resembling Vah Rudania carved into it. Kaneli'd had something similar, but that one had a design resembling Medoh. It had belonged to Revali had been broken when it fell off the Divine Beast. Or maybe the monster that Link killed broke it and threw it off.

"Does that thing even work?" Teba asked.

This rattled the Goron as well. "I don't know," he said slowly. "No one does. No one knows how to use it." He paused. "The guy you're talking about has one too, doesn't he?

"His works," Teba replied. "And I know it can control Rudania. It's better if you wait on him."

Yunobo looked up at the volcano then back at the Rito below him. "Where will I be until he comes?"

"Try to be in this general area," Teba said, breathing a silent sigh of relief. "If you can't we can look for you. You'll be fine until maybe tomorrow, right?

Yunobo's wide mouth curved into a bitter smile. "I'll be as fine as I can be while the Yiga are here."

 _He's only a kid,_ Teba thought again, swallowing hard. He would have to trust this kid to be able to survive on his own another day. He worried, though it looked as if Yunobo had already been surviving for weeks.

He let go of the rock, allowing himself to fall until he caught air. Trying not to let his troubled thoughts show on his face, Teba made his way back to the Yiga Clan.

Surely he'd been gone long enough for Kohga to think he'd actually looked. Unless he already knew who they were and was trying to separate them.

/

Link's head swam and he swayed on his feet even as Ghirahim lead him out of the huge crowd and into a small, shadowy alley. Ghirahim and Brutela remained behind-they were too tall to blend in and sneak away without being noticed. Brutela had already gained some recognition as well since she now wore the golden armor of high-ranking Gerudo warriors. Elon as well, for he was obviously Gerudo but had lived in Hateno Village long enough to pick up plenty of Hylian customs.

Part of the reason Link's heart pounded painfully was because he felt plenty more claustrophobic than he usually did. It was almost to the point where he wanted to lash out just to get away. Link blamed that on the other reason for his pounding heart.

He likely should have been concerned about his chest pains, but they were the last thing on his mind.

"Can't we find a way to stop the execution?" Link asked, keeping his voice low.

He'd caught wind of just who was being beheaded. One of the Sheikah, he knew, was Purah. The other was likely Symin. Link didn't know the third but he was sure they were related to the researchers as well. They were said to have a family, but that family was protected by the warriors in Kakariko. And their execution was meant to be punishment for a betrayal.

He couldn't let them die. Especially not Purah and Symin.

"Unless you can think of a way without getting us all killed, then no, Link, we can't stop the execution," Ghirahim said as he looked around, hoping no Yiga were nearby. If someone caught them talking about botching an execution, especially that of a Sheikah...

Behind him, Link scowled. "Surely there's a way. I owe Purah anyway."

"You'll owe all of us if you get us killed," Ghirahim replied sharply. "What do you plan to do anyway? Run up to them and scream at them to stop? They'll only kill you."

"Kill the executioner."

Ghirahim did a double take and turned to face him. It was chilling staring at a demon's face, which currently represented the face that he'd kissed weeks ago and hundreds of times a century before. Was this really Link talking to him? Was he aware that his voice was different, lower?

"Are you _crazy_?" Ghirahim snapped, wanting nothing more than to yell at this _fake_ and make his words sink in, but then they would definitely be caught. "They'll only kill you faster!"

"Can't kill me if they're dead."

 _It's just like last night._ Link had that look in his eyes, that look that wasn't him.

"Just shut up," Ghirahim said as he shot him a glare. "You're making no sense. Just shut up right now."

Link fell quiet.

Something was wrong here. Horribly wrong.

"Isn't there _some_ way?" Link asked again, as if he hadn't suggested murder moments earlier.

Ghirahim was hesitant to respond. He didn't want to even be near Link right now. "You can try what you said earlier. But don't slaughter everyone. Hide and use your bow."

He somehow expected Link to grin, but instead a frown sunk into his face. Good. He wasn't ready to simply murder in cold blood. Only Ghirahim himself could do something like that and it be considered natural.

They dared to step outside of the shadow of their alley. Kohga had led them further up Death Mountain, to the mountain itself where no human could survive without the proper equipment. However, the only Gorons they saw were those that worked endlessly in a nearby mine, silent. Ghirahim was sure, by stereotype, that those miners had a tune that they would usually hum. But they were silent, as if brainwashed.

Other than the group and Kohga, plus the mine they passed through, the road was still and quiet. Gorons were focused on trade, as their mountain held various jewels, all of them holding some ability or another, but there were no travelling Gorons in their way to trade with some distant village or even the village at the base of Death Mountain.

Even in Goron City there weren't any Gorons seen that simply enjoyed their time. They worked over forges while the Yiga went about their day, hardly looking up to investigate their surroundings. It wasn't difficult to suspect that they were possessed by Malice and that there would be no saving them, especially for Ghirahim. He could sense no emotion from their aura, for it was overloaded with the dark, evil aura of Malice.

Some that didn't seem possessed, would look up at Ghirahim and the disguised Hylian with looks of fear-neither of the pair were very friendly looking at the moment. Perhaps, had the circumstances been different, they would have pummeled the two.

Personally, Ghirahim thought Goron City was distasteful and ugly. Every single building, without fail, was horribly crooked and sloppily built. A bridge crossed over a pool of lava and allowed travelers to go to any part of the city they wished, but it hardly looked sturdy enough to support anything, much less the numerous people that crossed it, with crooked strips of metal and a sloppy guardrail. The only thing the Gorons put time and effort into, apparently, was the statues that surrounded the city depicting various famous Gorons in history, not excluding Daruk. Some of these statues were damaged from one of Death Mountain's eruptions.

Link and Ghirahim moved among these crooked structures, trying not to appear too suspicious but also trying to be furtive. The stage on which the Sheikah were to be executed came into view, and they slipped behind a building, watching from afar.

On the stage three people stood in chains. One was Purah, likely the oldest one there but appearing to be the youngest. Next to her was, of course, Symin. Beside him was a Sheikah woman who stood tall, staring coldly at the crowd.

"Get your bow," Ghirahim said, motioning toward the spiked metal bow on Link's back. A higher ranking Yiga had gave it to him, claiming it was a necessity in the Yiga Clan. "When you shoot, run. Even if it doesn't hit. Just don't take off the mask until you know no one is going to see you or else things will get a lot worse."

Link frowned as he obliged, pulling the bow off his shoulder and grabbing an arrow from the quiver on his belt. "What about you? The others?"

"I'll get them and meet you," Ghirahim said. "Try not to even be seen. It'll make things easier on us. Maybe."

Ghirahim vanished in a cloud of diamonds, and when Link found him again he was standing with Elon and Brutela, still as a statue as he stared up at the stage, waiting for the moment when he would spring into action. The two Gerudo were unaware of the situation, and there was no way to tell them until they were in the midst of it.

A crowd surrounded the stage. As a masked man climbed onto the stage, the crowd broke into a roar. Link figured he was the one that would kill the Sheikah. He heard some demanding that the man torture the Sheikah before he killed them, and Yiga telling the man exactly what he should do before killing them. Had he not been wearing the mask Link would have resembled a sheet of paper. But at the same time, he felt a sort of...thrill at the words.

Purah was as white as a sheet of paper, and Symin was faring no better. The third woman was calm, hardly moving as she watched the man meant to kill her.

The man ignored these demands, instead turning to the back of the stage and kneeling down. When he stood and turned back to the crowd he held a double-sided axe in his hands.

Link nocked his arrow, aiming for the man. Most likely Ghirahim had expected him to act by now. But he had to wait for the perfect moment. He only had one shot.

Link was glad now that he didn't have to watch the execution. But on the hand he wasn't sure he would have even cared. Maybe he would have even enjoyed it.

 _Stop thinking like that!_ Link scolded himself. _You wouldn't enjoy it and you know it!_ Nonetheless a chill shot up his spine. Would he even enjoy killing this man? Would he feel pleasure at the sight of blood running down the masked man's neck as he fell to never get back up? Would he be more comparable to some vile demon rather than the hero he was supposed to be?

 _SHUT UP!_

He was running out of time. The man walked toward the three Sheikah, axe held tightly in two gloves hands. Link waited for him to approach them and stop. He watched as the man began to raise his axe, slowly so that he could relish the looks of fear in the Sheikah's eyes.

Link let the arrow go.

The only thing he saw was the man's eyes go wide as his hand shot toward his neck before he turned and ran, sprinting as fast as he could without falling over the rocks littering the area. He flew across the crooked bridge and toward the path to Death Mountain itself, where the Bridge of Eldin no doubt waited. Behind him, the Yiga let out shrieks as they spotted the masked man running away, the incriminating bow in hand.

Master Kohga smiled pleasantly.

/

Elon only realized that Ghirahim was behind him when the demon grabbed his arm and forced him to turn around. Brutela stared at him too, hands clenched into fists. While the demon was shorter than both of them, he was no less intimidating.

" _Run_ ," Ghirahim said.

"What? Why?" A surge of fear ran through his veins. He could hear the Yiga shrieking that they found someone. Was Link discovered?

He glanced toward the stage, where there was a pool of blood gathering about the dead man that lay there.

 _Oh, Gods. Did Link kill him?_

"Just go!" Ghirahim snarled as he let go. "We'll meet on the volcano. I'll find you." He vanished, leaving the Gerudo to flinch at the diamonds that followed. He was a little showy, wasn't he?

Irritation was replaced by the instinct to survive as the Yiga dispersed, allowing him to see Master Kohga, smiling pleasantly and knowingly. He broke into a run, sprinting down toward the bridge. At least in his situation, he could blend in. The same could be said of Brutela, who was way ahead of him. No one except Kohga suspected who they were.

When he glanced back, Kohga was gone.

/

Ghirahim appeared next to the startled Sheikah. They stared at the crowd, for the moment disregarded as the Yiga went into a rage. He glanced around for Kohga, but the leader was gone.

Was this truly going to be so easy? He laughed as he kicked the dead body out of the way and turned to rip the chains out of the pole they had been attached to. Apparently the metal wasn't very strong.

"Who are you?" Symin asked as Ghirahim summoned a dagger and cut through the locks on his cuffs. He was thankful he'd enchanted the things to easily cut through armor.

"Just trust me," was Ghirahim's response as he moved on to Purah. A Yiga came up to stop him, but he quickly grabbed them by the hair and slammed their head into a metal post, putting a stop to that. His mind trailed away to Link, briefly wondering why every other human aside from the hero didn't even stand a chance against him.

"You're a demon!" the unnamed Sheikah lady exclaimed, pulling Ghirahim back to his task.

"And I'm part of the reason you're alive!" Ghirahim replied with a grin as he cut the locks on her chains. "How funny is that?"

The little girl had to be tied with ropes since she was too small. He cut those easily and Symin scooped her up despite her protests.

Another group of Yiga, around four people, came to stop him. Ghirahim easily impaled one. The unnamed woman managed to knock one of them off her feet, but the third one sliced through her side. She let out a cry as Ghirahim killed him and then the last one.

Was she really the only able one? This was going to be fun. Ghirahim grumbled to himself. There was no way he could keep four Sheikah alive by himself, especially if a larger group of Yiga chased after them. Or maybe he just didn't feel like trying.

"Alright, move out! I trust you can go on the volcano without spontaneously combusting."

Ghirahim jumped off the stage, the three Sheikah behind him. He wouldn't have cared if he left them behind to fend for themselves, but he knew Link would be furious with him if he did that.

"Why are you helping us?" the unnamed woman asked as they ran toward the bridge.

"Are you blind?" Ghirahim snarled as he dispatched another Yiga meaning to kill them. "I don't have time for your questions! Just move!"

More were noticing the Sheikah and their demon savior now. Soon they would just have to run for their lives, and if the Sheikah lagged behind Ghirahim wasn't going to wait on them. He was more worried for Link.

The Sheikah broke into a run, the one with the little girl the fastest despite the extra weight. Ghirahim ran after them, rapier held in hand. He could have easily cleaned off the blood that now stained it, but blood cursed by Malice tasted disgusting and no doubt wasn't very good for him.

Four more Yiga closed in on the group. Ghirahim killed the two that went for him and moved on to the third one, killing them with a simple stab. The woman tried to defend herself, but she'd already been weakened by a stab wound. The fourth Yiga stabbed her in the gut and she fell, a pool of blood quickly forming around her. She could have easily been saved by a potion, but that was something they didn't have.

 _Whoops._ Link was gonna be mad about that one, but now four Sheikah was now three. Two if you considered that one was being carried.

She motioned for them to go right as Ghirahim told them to keep moving and that he wasn't going to wait on them. All it was was the man and the little girl now. That was manageable.

They ran, sprinting across the bridge and toward ths volcano itself. The heat increased to an almost unbearable temperature, but it wasn't so bad that he couldn't handle it. They slowed once the violence behind them calmed down, though the Yiga were sure to catch up to them in a few minutes. Ghirahim searched for Link's aura, but he couldn't find it. Of course, the mask stifled it greatly, and there were hundreds of Yiga distracting him. It wasn't a surprise.

"What're you even looking for?" the little girl asked. Her tone led Ghirahim to assume that she was a brat.

He turned to glare at her. "Nothing."

He could sense Elon and Brutela. Maybe Link was with them. Ghirahim led the Sheikah along the side of the volcano, ignoring the Divine Beast stomping above them. When the two Gerudo came into view, Link wasn't with them. They sat alone, weapons in hand, spotting Ghirahim as soon as his footsteps came into earshot.

Before Ghirahim could get the words out himself, Elon asked, "Where's Link?"

Behind them a loud explosion shook the world.


	18. Beast at the top of Death Mountain

He hadn't done anything wrong, right? He hadn't made them suspicious, right?

"Go," said the Yiga standing between Teba and Goron City and the rest of his group. He was tall and male. However, he wore a mask and a suit that covered his entire body, so Teba couldn't determine much more about him. Not like there was much of a reason to anyway. "You're not welcome here. We will gladly shoot you, if that's what you want.

"But I-" Teba tried to protest, but the Yiga cut him off.

"Master Kohga instructed us not to let you in. You're a fraud. He will get your friends next. He promises."

The words sent a chill down the Rito's spine.

He knows. He's trying to separate us. As a group, Teba was sure they could take on nearly anything. Ghirahim had neat magic tricks and a deceptively friendly personality, at least in battle. Brutela had speed and a mastery of fire magic, while Elon had knowledge of most types of magic-including healing-and brute strength. Teba could fly, allowing him to utilize aerial combat. Link was the life and soul of the group. While he had lost most of his skill over the century-long sleep, he hardly lost any respect among those that knew who he was, and therefore the group's determination was based directly upon his.

If he gave up, the rest of the group would too.

As a group, they could take on anything. But alone it wasn't difficult to push them to their limits.

"Did you hear me, Rito?" the Yiga snapped. "Go. I hope you die on that mountain."

He was tempted to teach this Yiga a lesson, as his temper quickly ran to his pride's defense. He managed to control it, however, knowing that he would be instantly killed. Teba retreated, trying to form a plan to get past the Yiga and warn the others.

But as he prepared to take flight, an explosion shook the earth, ripping through the quiet of the volcano, and a cloud of debris blew up into the heated air, marking the location.

Oh Gods.

What had happened to the others?

/

How did he get here?

Link slowed to a stop, his lungs burning as he wheezed. He must have taken a wrong turn or something, for he found himself in an unfamiliar cluster of buildings. Not on Death Mountain. The sun was high overhead, marking the hour of noon.

It was empty and quiet. The buildings looked like they had been hastily built-even more so than the rest of Goron City. Every strip of metal was turned a different direction than the one above or below it. Some had even been placed on different sides, and no one had tried to conceal it with paint.

Inhaling deeply, he walked toward one of the buildings and opened the door. Inside were rows and rows of bomb barrels encased in red ice, likely to keep them from exploding prematurely in the heat.

He recognized the ice and knew it wouldn't be difficult to get rid of it if you knew the spell. Whether the ice was there or not wouldn't matter if the barrel was directly hit with fire.

 _Why is this here?_

It likely belonged to the Yiga, but what would they want to blow up so bad that they would have so many bomb barrels?

He checked the other buildings. They held the same thing: rows and rows of bomb barrels. Link felt sick with fear. What the hell were these for?

"A bit nosy, are we?"

Link whipped around, going rigid as he spotted Master Kohga walking toward him.

"I know who you are, Hylian Champion," the leader of the Yiga Clan said. "Trying to call yourself Licorice...Who would name their child that?"

Link gripped the bow in his hand tightly. Of course he knew.

"I was hoping you would come here," Kohga said with a smile. "It makes Ganon's assignment much easier."

Link barely dodged the blades attached to Kohga's knuckles before they could slice through his neck and end everything then and there. Kohga's smile had disappeared, replaced with a snarl. Link dropped the bow and pulled Mipha's trident off his back. He wasn't really skilled with it, but Brutela had briefly instructed him, as she had once been a guard at the front gates of Gerudo Town, and he had a fraction of his own knowledge from a century before.

She had told him that the trident could hold massive amounts of magic, which made it quite unique. In the hands of a mage it was powerful and deadly. In Link's it was just a spear.

Link stumbled back as another swinging fist came for his face. He was already panting from adrenaline and his body felt dull and slow from the lack of sleep the night before. This fight would have to be quick.

Kohga came for him again, relentless as he swung his fist. Although Link moved back to dodge, it connected.

Link cried out as burning pain flared up in the side of his face. He retaliated by swinging the butt of his spear at Kohga's head, but the leader of the Yiga easily dodged. The Hylian Champion toucher the wound in the side of his face but felt no blood.

Only allowing him a single second to assess the damage, Kohga lunged again, driving him into the doorway of one of the buildings. Afraid that Kohga would try to blow them both up, Link took the offensive and shoved him back, whacking him in the head with the spear.

If either of them blew up the bomb barrels inside, there was no telling the destruction it would cause. Especially with that many.

Kohga snarled and teleported with a flash of the Yiga's symbol. Link glanced over his shoulder just in time to turn and block the worst of the blow aimed for him. Spikes dug into his shoulders, and Link barely suppressed the yelp of pain, shoving the Yiga away. Kohga lunged toward him once more, tackling him.

"This thing's proving to be quite a problem," Kohga said, trying to wrench the trident from Link's hands. He was grinning.

"Keep your grimy ass hands off it," Link snarled, his voice suddenly adopting an accent he didn't recognize. Dismissing it, he kneed Kohga between the legs and used what strength his body had left to shove the fat man off him.

Jumping to his feet, Link expected to be able to shove Mipha's trident as deep into Master Kohga's chest as it would go.

Instead, however, he turned to find Kohga holding a hand between his legs, face contorted with pain, and the other hand held out as it began glowing a bright orange. Link ducked, the searing heat of the pillar of flames washing over his back.

Kohga stood up, summoning more fire. Link backed away, the spear held defensively as if it could somehow shield him from the searing flames.

Dammit. Just when he'd thought he was going to finally beat him, Kohga gains an advantage.

As soon as Link moved to advance toward the Yiga, he would turn and send a stream of fire toward him, forcing link to back up before he could take a step forward. Exhaustion was beginning to get the better of him. He would have preferred to run rather than stay and fight. Kohga saw this and grinned.

Expecting another blast of fire, Link prepared to move out of the way. But it never came.

Kohga aimed toward the nearest building, toward the open doorway.

Suddenly all Link knew was pain and heat. He was hardly aware he was airborne until his body slammed into the ground, bounced, and slammed again as if he were a simple ragdoll. His consciousness attempted to flee, but he clung to it for dear life, afraid of being left to the dark that he was already cloaked in. Within moments he wished he had given in to unconsciousness.

He was in excruciating pain, not excluding his chest. His leg felt as if it had been stabbed and the knife was still inside, and his hand burned like he'd stuck it in a river of lava. Not to mention the pain that spread over his body and the killer headache. His ears rang painfully.

What happened?

Then he remembered. Kohga had blown them both up. How bad off was he if he couldn't remember something that happened ten seconds ago? Or maybe it was more. Dusk was beginning to fall, and as the sun slipped behind the high rocks around him the world turned darker and darker. Maybe he'd been unconscious after all.

Is Kohga alive?

If Link survived, Kohga could have too. He needed to check.

He tried to sit up, but the moment he tried to move his arm excruciating pain forced him to leave it be. He grit his teeth, glancing down to find that his arm had begun to bruise and swell. It was bent backward slightly, and just looking at it made him sick.

His eyes trailed toward his leg. There was a large, jagged piece of metal stuck in it. A rim of faint light surrounded it, but no blood. Smaller pieces littered his skin, not excluding his broken arm.

"There you are!" He glanced up at the voice to see Ghirahim walking toward him. Behind him was Elon, Brutela, and the Sheikah. One of them was missing. "What the hell did you do?" He glanced around at the wreckage. "Don't tell me you dropped a bomb on yourself."

"Kohga did it." Those three words made his side groan. The air suddenly felt all too thick and it was difficult to breathe.

Ghirahim glanced back with a frown. "I killed him. He was laughing as he died, you know that?"

"Thank the Gods," Link breathed. He didn't care that Kohga had been laughing. At least he was dead and gone.

Ghirahim turned back to him and looked down at his leg. "Try not to scream. I doubt I can leave that in there," Ghirahim said, kneeling down and grabbing the piece of metal stuck there. Hardly giving the Hylian Champion time to prepare, he yanked it out. Link barely managed to repress a scream with grit teeth.

"And you won't be needing that mask. Everyone here wants to kill you anyway. And me. Be glad I saved your Sheikah friends." Moving back up, Ghirahim pressed his fingers against the side of Link's face. "This will take a minute. If worn over a day the mask tries to mold itself into its host."

"What happened to that lady?" Link asked, just before pain shot up the side of his face.

Ghirahim hesitated. "Dead. I can't protect four people at the same time from nearly an entire army. She was trying to defend the others."

The mask didn't come off painlessly. For a few moments it felt like Ghirahim was trying to pull Link's skin off his face. When Ghirahim pulled the wood away from his face, a wave of heat washed over Link. He almost wished he still had the mask on now that sweat was beginning to stream down his face.

Despite the lack of the mask, Link's chest still hurt. He blamed it on the explosion. Everything hurt after that.

Ghirahim looked down at the mask and frowned. "This doesn't look like what you did at all. It's supposed to resemble the demon..."

Link shot him a questioning look. Ghirahim turned the mask so that he could see it. Before, the thing had resembled carved wood that you would give to a child and allow them to paint as they pleased. Now it looked as if someone had sculpted the mask to resemble Link's face right down to the scars along the cheeks. It was complete with eye holes that looked more like black voids.

Link raised a brow. The mask was unnerving, to be sure, but wasn't it supposed to do that?"

"The mask is supposed to have the same face you have when you put it on. But this is completely different. You looked like a completely different man, while this...looks like you but demonic."

Well that's comforting. Link shrugged, trying to dismiss the red flags that were beginning to fly in his mind. "Just don't make me wear that thing again."

"Don't dismiss it like that!" Ghirahim snapped. "Something isn't right and you know it! After last night, I know it!"

Link shrank away from him. "Well I'm sorry for last night. I was tired, and right now I'm fucking exhausted. I didn't mean what I said-"

"-Because it wasn't you," Ghirahim finished.

Link fell silent, staring at him as he swallowed hard. The others were staring at them in alarm.

Ghirahim summoned a dagger, holding the mask up. He drove the dagger into the wood between the eye holes, never breaking his gaze away from Link's as he did so. "This thing is supposed to be screaming, yet it's silent. The spirit that's supposed to be in it is gone. Where is it? Hm?"

Link only continued to stare at him, unable to answer.

"It can't be inside you. We've already discussed that. It's too weak." Standing up, Ghirahim dropped the mask on the rocky ground and stomped on it, splitting the wood with a sickening crack! The mask remained silent. "So where would it be, Link?"

"I don't know."

"Don't toy with me!" Ghirahim snarled. "I'm not stupid! Some part of you knows, and I want to hear its answer!"

"If he doesn't know, he doesn't know!"

Both men turned their head to find Brutela standing there, glaring at them with crossed arms. Her anger was really directed at Ghirahim. "What happened with that fucking mask?" she added. "I knew it was a bad idea when I first saw it."

"We don't know. But I think Link does," Ghirahim snapped, sending the Gerudo a glare. "I'd recommend you keep out of our business."

Elon took a step forward. "We have a right to know. You're not the only one who actually wants to help. At least give us an idea."

"Demonic possession," Ghirahim replied simply.

Link shook his head. "Can't be as bad as that."

"That is exactly what happened last night. No other explanation. Even if you were utterly and totally pissed at me you wouldn't do that."

"I was tired-"

Ghirahim turned to glare at him. "If you were tired you would have been going to bed!"

Suddenly Link felt a surge of anger, and before he could stop it his mouth was moving. Again it took on that strange accent. "What're you looking at me like that for? The mask thing was your idea anyway. If something happens because of it it's your fuckin fault."

All eyes were glued to him in alarm. Just as quickly as it came the anger faded, leaving a horrified Link in its wake. Above them, Vah Rudania stomped on as the wind blew across the harsh heat of the volcano over them. Ghirahim clenched his fists. Link refused to open his mouth, afraid that more would spill out and make things worse.

"We should go," Brutela said, sensing that Ghirahim had temporarily backed down from his ordinary position as the leader. "The Yiga will likely be here soon to see what the explosion was, and we have plenty to do. Link, can you walk?"

He shook his head. No one would have believed him if he nodded.

\\\

They walked in silence, stepping over the rocks littering what appeared to be the road leading up Death Mountain, toward Vah Rudania. Now that they were at least a mile away from Goron City, their mind had moved on from the Yiga to Teba. They hadn't seen him since Kohga sent him off.

"Where do you think Teba is?" Link asked.

"He's probably on his way back to Rito Village," Ghirahim said bitterly, though Link doubted it. He didn't seem like the type of person to ditch a mission as big as this. Not when he swore that he would help.

As if the world was trying to prove Ghirahim wrong, they walked around a boulder big enough for Link to stand on top of Ghirahim and still not be able reach the top and there Teba was, walking alongside a Goron.

Link immediately saw that the Goron was rather young, with chubby cheeks and lumpy rather than muscular arms. Immediately, thinking of the Gorons possessed by Malice back in Goron CIty, the group tensed, their hands itching to grab their weapons.

The Rito's eyes widened as they fell on Link.

"I heard the explosion and thought..." He glanced at the others. "Kohga knew about us. I don't know how, but..."

"I know. Kohga apparently knew the moment I told him my name was Licorice," Link said with a frown.

"Damn," Teba muttered. "What happened to you?"

Link smiled bitterly. "I was caught in the explosion."

As he noticed that everyone was staring at the Goron beside him with a look of apprehension, he turned his head to look at him. "Oh, right. This is Yunobo. He's a descendant of Daruk. He was wanting to go up to Vah Rudania with us."

"Kohga told us he killed the champions' descendents, at least those descended from the Goron Champion," Ghirahim said, crossing his arms as he narrowed his eyes at the Goron.

Yunobo turned his gaze to the demon, nervously shifting on his feet as he spoke for the first rime. "He killed my mentor, Bludo. I guess he thought he was the descendant of Lord Daruk. I managed to escape with Daruk's slate." At once everyone's eyes were drawn to the thing hanging on a chain necklace around Yunobo's neck. It could have easily been mistaken for an ordinary stone if it weren't for the image of Vah Rudania and the Sheikah Eye carved into the back.

"Does it work?" Ghirahim asked, pulling Link's bag off his shoulder and handing it to him. Although Link had forgotten about the Sheikah Slate through his ordeal, he now eagerly dug it out and put it back on its clip on his belt, where it felt as if it belonged.

"I don't know. No one knows how to use it." Yunobo said, before his attention turned to Link's Sheikah Slate. "So you're the one that Teba told me about? The one that had the functional slate?"

Ghirahim shot Teba a glare. Teba responded with crossed arms. "Look, I was trying to keep him from making a stupid decision. I didn't tell him everything, only that."

"It's enough for him to figure it out," Ghirahim snapped.

"He's not possessed by Malice or anything. I think he would have attacked me by now if he was." Teba motioned toward the cloth around Yunobo's neck-the one that greatly resembled Link's tunic.

"I'm not a Yiga," Yunobo said angrily. "I'm just trying to free the Gorons here. Teba told me that you could help."

"By freeing a Divine Beast?" Ghirahim said dubiously. "That's not possible. Most of the Gorons are possessed by Malice, and it takes very strong light magic to get rid of that. All Rudania can do is completely obliterate Goron City."

Elon glanced at Link, recalling the dragon. It had been possessed by Malice. Though he passed out only moments later, he'd managed to get rid of that Malice. Link wasn't a mage, but the symbol on the back of his hand... He'd thought it was a tattoo. There was no way Link could have found the Triforce; it was supposed to be hidden in another land, and there was supposed to be no connection between Hyrule and that world. But now that he considered it, was there even the slightest chance?

Yunobo's expression could have tugged at anyone's heartstrings. "Well...I...There's gotta be at least some that aren't possessed."

"They outnumber the ones that aren't," Ghirahim replied cooly. "It'll be hard getting them. There's no easy way to resolve the issue."

"Either way, maybe freeing Rudania will help. I wanna go with you guys and help. It'll be the only useful thing I've done. Ever."

Ghirahim looked at Link. "In the end, it's your decision."

"You know for a fact I'm letting him come," Link replied.

"Well, with the recent change in personality..." The intensity of Link's glare made him shut up. "Fine. Doesn't mean I like him."

Yunobo scowled. "I don't like you much either."

"Don't start fighting," Link said, putting a hand on his forehead. "Please."

"It's getting late," Brutela said. "And Link's still in bad shape. Maybe we should find somewhere to rest and go up to Rudania tomorrow."

"Will we have time?" Ghirahim replied. "I don't think we have much longer before Ganon escapes again."

Link rolled his eyes. "I don't care if we have time, I want to know if I have the energy to trek up a mountain and face whatever fucked up monster is in that thing right this second."

"Fine then. Be pissy," Ghirahim muttered.

"I know of a good place. I've been here since the Yiga took over," Yunobo said. "They never found me."

Though he kept his mouth shut, Ghirahim was itching to prove this kid wrong. They allowed Yunobo to lead them across the mountain toward a cave that wasn't very noticeable until you were right upon it. They peered inside at the darkness; it seemed to go in very far. Perhaps, once, it had been a mine that had to evacuate since the volcano became active.

Hadn't that been little more than a hundred years ago? Vaguely, Link could recall having to retreat inside of Rudania with Daruk when Death Mountain began to erupt for the first time in ten thousand years. At the time, they had both been uneasy about the eruption, for such an event usually marked the return of Ganon.

Yunobo held a hand out, as if holding open the curtain of darkness so that everyone could go inside. "I know it's not very safe, but..."

"Now that we've pissed off the Yiga, nowhere is safe," Ghirahim replied, staying by the entrance. "I can keep watch. They'll be looking for us."

Link wanted to go to him, but Elon tapped on his shoulder. They moved deeper into the cave and sat down.

"We still have bandages, right?" Elon asked, a few remnants of his Gerudic accent peeking into his voice. With Brutela around he'd been speaking his native language plenty.

"We should," Link replied, inhaling sharply when he shifted the wrong way and sent a spasm of pain up his arm. "Think there's some in my bag."

Elon opened Link's bag and, within moments, pulled out the small supply of bandages.

"We should have restocked while we had the chance," the Gerudo mumbled as he set them to the side. "You know where the break is, right?"

Link shrugged. "I didn't look for it."

The Gerudo sighed. "Tell me when you think I found it." He prodded at Link's arm, carefully so he wouldn't make it worse. By the third guess he found it.

"No one told me breaking a bone hurts this fucking much," Link said, trying to hide the pain in his voice.

"I know how you feel," Elon said as he placed a light hand on Link's arm.

Within a few minutes, a strange sensation spread through his arm, and the unmistakable feeling of a few weeks' healing happening within the span of a single minute forced him

Because of this, Link set his bag near the entrance while Ghirahim sat just outside the cave. When Link approached, Ghirahim held out an arm, wrapping it around him and pulling him close once he sat down. They sat like that for a few minutes, staring out at Death Mountain and its rivers of lava. Rudania appeared to have retreated somewhere to rest, as if it needed it.

"You're awfully quiet," Link commented.

Ghirahim looked down at him. "You're awake. I thought you said you were tired."

"I am." Link shifted. "Is something wrong?"

"I'm thinking."

"About what?"

"Do you want the serious answer or the terrible joke?"

"Preferrably the serious answer."

There was a pause. Ghirahim turned away from Link's gaze. "You nearly got yourself killed today."

Link frowned. "That's not an answer."

"From what I understand, you're lucky to be alive. What if you weren't so lucky?"

"That's over and done with," Link said.

Ghirahim laughed bitterly. "I know. Ever since you found me over a century ago I've been so depressed. I'm hopelessly attached to a Hylian that's been dead for almost an eon, and you know what? He probably died cursing my name." Ghirahim's expression grew dark. "I don't blame him. We clashed, and I enjoyed it. I enjoyed every moment when he was in pain. I enjoyed the first time when I left him nearly dead. But at the same time I was so fucking attached to him, even if I knew that it wouldn't work. It won't work now either. I still relish spilling others' blood. I should have learned my lesson by now."

Link couldn't decide whether to move away or remain in place. He chose the latter option and inhaled deeply. "If you think that defines who you are, then why are you helping me? There's other options."

Ghirahim paused. "I don't know. It's almost better to serve a mindless pig than to..."

Link raised a brow.

"...than to watch you die. Over and over again. Only for you to be reborn, new personality, body, everything. Then for you to die again all too soon."

This plunged them into silence. Of course. Ghirahim was immortal. He was more resilient than others. Faster, smarter, stronger.

He looked up at Ghirahim. The demon's expression hardly reflected his words; he looked calm, serene.

"Perhaps you should go to bed," Ghirahim suggested, looking down at him. "You have enough without me dumping my personal thoughts on you."

"Is there anything I can do to help?" Link asked, reluctantly readying his hands to push himself to his feet.

"Don't hate me and try not to die young. Now go sleep."

That's it? Link thought, but decided not to question it. Maybe there wasn't any more he could do. And if he tried to say anything more of the subject, Ghirahim would likely pester him until he went to bed. The demon wasn't one to open up about personal thoughts.

/

Link woke feeling hardly any better than he did the night before. Although Elon had managed to heal his broken arm, he couldn't extend it very far without pain striking it and forcing him to pull it back. That was going to make it difficult to use a bow.

As far as his leg, all it needed was stitches. But that was something they didn't have, so they settled for their small supply of bandages.

After gathering their things they continued on their trek up the mountain. Yunobo allowed Purah to play with the slate after being assured that Symin was going to be watching her and that she wouldn't break it. They couldn't just tell him that she wasn't actually a child, but a researcher from before the Great Calamity.

"Wow, this thing actually works," she said within the first ten minutes of playing with it. "It's practically useless while Rudania is under Ganon's control, though."

Purah's words brought up a question from the Hylian Champion. "If that one can only control one Divine Beast, how come mine can control all four?"

"Yours is special. Only you can use it to its fullest ability-meaning that you can control the Divine Beasts with it as well as a few other thing...like use it to make a bomb." Link raised his eyebrows at the mention of a bomb. He would have to get her to tell him how to do that. "It was meant...as a back up plan of sorts in case something ever happened to the Champions and their Sheikah Slates stopped working. But in this case, I'm pretty sure Ganon took the Divine Beasts off the network the Sheikah established and killed the Champions. That's the only way it could have happened with your Sheikah Slate being unable to control them as well."

"You know a lot about the Great Calamity, don't you?" Yunobo commented, looking down at the girl with genuine surprise.

"Well, naturally. I'm a researcher," Symin said with a shy smile. "She's learned a lot."

"What's a network?" Link asked. The Gerudo and Rito appeared to be wordlessly asking the same thing.

As both Ghirahim and Purah simultaneously opened their mouths to respond, a thunderous roar pulled their attention away, and they looked to find Divine Beast Vah Rudania stomping toward them, its eyes glaring red as its face opened, revealing a rod that glowed an angry red. Link's eyes widened as he realized what it was doing, for he'd done the same thing with the other Divine Beasts.

"IT'S GONNA SHOOT US!"

At that moment, the entire group went into a panic, running for the first thing they could take cover behind. Link and Ghirahim only just made it behind a great pillar of rock when Rudania released a blast, the shockwaves knocking the pair over. Ghirahim managed to create a weak barrier to protect them from the worst of the flying rocks. It broke after the last great boulder bounced off of it, thankfully only followed by smaller rocks.

Rudania screeched again, its enormous foot coming down just inches away from the terrified Brutela. She curled up against her rock as the Divine Beast's head turned this way and that, looking for its prey.

Teba stood perched just above the Divine Beast, staring down at it with a furious glint in his eyes.

Is he gonna try and board it himself? Link thought worriedly. Hopefully he understood that he wouldn't be able to do something like that without the Sheikah Slate.

"C'mere, you bastard!" Teba yelled. Rudania turned to face him, its rod beginning to glow that angry red once more.

Oh, Gods! I think he is! "What the hell are you doing!?" Link called out, running from his cover. Rudania turned its head just as its beam shot out, and only Ghirahim's quick reflexes saved him.

Teba landed on the Divine Beast, eyes narrowed in concentration. There was a flash of light, and bolts of lightning shot up from the Divine Beast and into the Rito. Rudania spasmed, temporarily rendered immobile.

"I think he's trying to shut it off," Ghirahim said. "Is he trying to kill himself? Surely the Sheikah aren't too stupid to put a power switch."

Purah came out of hiding, Symin hovering just behind her. "Look around! There should be an emergency switch somewhere! It'll shut off the power supply until the backup kicks in!"

Teba appeared to only be half listening. He raised his arm, and a crack reverberated through the air as the power he had absorbed shot back into the Divine Beast. Its lights flickered and its various joints groaned as the enormous thing collapsed, knocking Teba off his feet.

Link tried to run toward the Divine Beast in alarm, but Ghirahim held him back. There wasn't even a way to get to him.

"There has to be an entrance to the Divine Beast somewhere..." Ghirahim didn't complete his sentence as Rudania let out a distorted screech and turned, heading further up the mountain. As it made the steep climb, Teba jumped off, unable to keep a hold onto it.

Yunobo cheered as Teba landed. "You had to have hurt it!"

"I'm not sure I can do something like that again," Teba breathed. "I nearly fried myself."

"Sure as hell looked like you did," Ghirahim commented as he went further up the trail that would lead them to the top of Death Mountain, motioning for the rest of the group to follow. "How are we supposed to get on this thing? None of us are any bigger than its feet."

"Bludo usually used the cannons," Yunobo said. "But no one but him can use them. We don't know how."

"Very fucking helpful," Ghirahim snapped. Yunobo shrank away from him.

"There is a power switch," Purah broke in. "It's a matter of finding it. It'll only stay off for a few minutes but we don't know why."

"Might be near the central control unit," Teba suggested.

"Or inside," Brutela said. "No one but the Champions were intended to use them. If the controls are inside, then the power switch could be inside too."

Teba frowned. "Then it would be damn near impossible to get on. Let's not think about the worst case scenario, alright?"

Symin gasped. "Breaking the electrical currents can work. There should be a box that allows you to get to them somewhere outside the Beast. It's one thing our ancestors did right with these things. It may have backup, just in case someone did exactly what we're planning, but it'll take a bit for it to cut on."

"Tell me you know where it is," Teba said.

"I only know theres one outside and one inside."

"So we have a plan?" Ghirahim asked irritably. They were getting close.

"About as much of one as we're gonna get," Teba said, just as irritable as Ghirahim.

Vah Rudania turned its head as they approached. Immediately the group split, running for a hiding spot. Teba ran for a higher rock where he could easily get to the Divine Beast. What would this little box even look like? What was he supposed to look for?

He took flight, praying to the Gods that the odds were in their favor today.

Rudania barely noticed him, stomping toward the rock behind which the Rito was sure Link hid.

He's its target?

He landed on the Divine Beast's back, looking around for a box.

He wasn't sure what this box looked like, but he knew it was here. Where would it be? On the side of the Divine Beast? Doubtful. A person would have to be able to reach it. He moved toward a doorway that lead inside the Divine Beast. It was sealed shut.

Behind him, a patch of malice gurgled, and when he glanced over his shoulder, he saw that it was coming from a crack in the vents that allowed light inside. It stretched and stretched until it resembled a tentacle and shot toward him.

Oh, fuck!

He jumped out of the way, pressing himself against the doorway.

Where would that damned box be?

He glanced back. The doorway. Beside it was a small control box with Sheikah lettering and design.

The tentacle was still following him, the tip of it turning into a clawed hand. Teba dodged it by a hair's breadth; it was getting faster. He ran toward the doorway, touching the plane of magic as he approached it. He would have to be quick if he wanted to escape without being hurled into the lava below. He didn't think the stone he carried would protect him from that.

As the tip of his wing touched the box, a loud crack ripped through the air. Vah Rudania lurched dangerously, and Teba quickly grabbed a hold of the side of the Divine Beast before he plummeted to his death.

The claw retreated as the shouts of the others drew closer.

The Rito risked lifting a hand and grabbing the pole of a guardrail. Barely, he managed to hoist himself up. Link came into view, grinning. "That was fast."

"It was a lucky guess," Teba replied, panting. Beside him the door slid open.

"Now all we have to do is get control of this thing," Ghirahim said. "If we're lucky Ganon won't have anything prepared for us."

Link groaned. "It probably will. I just hope it turns out to be weak."

They started toward the door, Link leading the way and Ghirahim behind him, holding his hand. Brutela and Elon followed. Yunobo's face had turned pale, but he followed the others knowing that he couldn't just sit behind. The Sheikah hesitated.

"Maybe you should stay out here," Link said, turning. "Try to find somewhere safe until this is done. You too, Yunobo... None of you have a weapon."

"I'm going in," Yunobo replied defiantly. "I wanted to come up here for a reason."

Link frowned, but figured there would be no convincing the Goron to stay behind. Inhaling deeply, they started inside.

Both men let out a cry as their hands were ripped apart and the door slammed shut, effectively trapping Link inside Vah Rudania.

Alone.


	19. Daruk's Request

The moment Prince Sidon of the Zora spotted the white mask moving among the bushes he knew he was in danger. Overhead the Veiled Falls continued dumping hundreds and hundreds of gallons of water into the lake below, as it always did. The strange, corral-like plants that adorned the rocky cliffs around Zora's Domain rustled in the wind, masking the footsteps of the Yiga.

He had to warn Ziya. She could defend herself well, as could he, but it was best that they were together, especially when they were faced with Yiga. But she'd separated from him almost as soon as they walked away from the shore of the lake. She likely went up to the hunting grounds at the top of the Veiled Falls.

He gripped his hunting spear tightly, trying to pretend he saw nothing. But he turned himself toward the Veiled Falls. If she was up there, there was a staircase that could take him there sitting right beside the waterfall.

A laugh alerted him to the threat behind him. He turned, barely avoiding the blade that came for his head. The man was of a higher rank among the Yiga; he could tell that much from his long sword. Sidon swiped the spear across the Yiga's head, cringing as the blade at the end cut through his throat. Another one came for him, but the Zora prince was ready for this one too and he knocked the other one away before he could properly descend.

As he delt with the other one, a third Yiga came for Sidon from behind. However, that one was cut short when the second Zoran royalty appeared, stabbing him through the gut.

The two siblings stood, back to back, clutching their spears, waiting for another attack. None came. They relaxed, breathing heavily in the silence.

"Thank you for that," Sidon said.

"You're my fucking brother," Ziya replied. "If I didn't Father would be mad."

"Did they come after you?" Sidon asked.

She shook her head. "I think they sent three to deal with us both. Maybe they knew we would be alone. But I saw them heading for you."

Sidon frowned. That didn't sound right. Sure, maybe they _did_ know that the royal siblings typically went alone; even as children they loved to sneak away from their guards, so King Dorephan gave up on trying to keep them from running away.

But because of that among other things, they had been taught self defense, and both of them could fight. Ziya was less skilled with weapons than her, but she did what needed to be done and did it effectively. Sidon himself was a go-to if no other warrior could solve the problem. (Sometimes he wished that wasn't the case. An octorok's stomach wasnt a pleasant place.)

And then, all three Yiga attacked Sidon rather than at least one going after Ziya.

 _Was it a distraction?_

"Maybe we should check on Father," he said finally, starting down the hill toward the Zoran refuge before Ziya even had a chance to respond.

"I'm sure he's fine," Ziya said, though he could hear the worry in her voice. "He's the king. Just about everyone in the domain would defend him if someone tried to assassinate him."

"They probably _will!_ " Sidon snapped, picking up the pace. "I'm not risking my father dying because I wasn't there to help!"

He was afraid. Not only was this his father, but if something happened to Dorephan, he was the heir to the throne. He would become king, and the lives of all the Zora would fall into his hands. He had trained for years, he wasn't ready. He doubted he ever _would_ be ready.

He wished he could swim, but they were too high along the cliffs to dive in and swim across the lake. Zora's Domain wasn't that deep, either; they could hit their head on the stone.

Screams from the Zora encampment reached the Zora's ears, forcing him to pause as he looked down at the encampment, which rested across the lake at the bottom of the cliff. He couldn't see everything that was going on from such a distance, especially now that the lake was huge due to the floods, but he knew what was happening when he spotted the groups of men merging together in a clash. King Dorephan stood ready to fight should anyone try to kill him, and the Yiga were cutting through the Zora ranks like paper.

"Oh, fuck," Ziya whispered, eyes wide.

"Let's go!" Sidon exclaimed. "We have to help them!"

As they continued down the hill, sprinting as fast as they could possibly go, a sense of dread creeped up Sidon's spine and haunted him.

/

Link stared dumbfoundedly into the darkness, his hand aching as he flexed the fingers that had been ripped out of Ghirahim's hand by the pure force of the door. It was amazing how quickly the demon let go of him, or else he might have been minus a few fingers.

He held out that hand, finding the cold metal of the door. He could already feel Ghirahim bang his fists against it as if that would force it open.

 _I'm trapped in here._

The words promised him nothing good. So long as he was on Rudania, he was at the mercy of whoever controlled it: Ganon. Ganon wanted him alone, so Ganon would get what it wanted.

There was a small crack under the door that allowed a sliver of light through. Link bent down. "That isn't going to help," he called under the door.

Elon soon took up the sliver of light, his piercing green eye peering through the crack. "Yeah, but what will? Do you have another idea?"

"Taking over the Divine Beast?" His heart pounded at the simple thought of that. Would he be able to do it alone? He'd been trapped on a Divine Beast before, but never alone. The last two times he'd been alone he'd been captured by the Yiga Clan and nearly died.

"By yourself? No way. Maybe we can get the door open." He moved away from the door. Link could hear them speaking amongst themselves on the other side, and within moments he spotted several shadows in the crack. Elon reappeared. "Help us try to lift it. I'll count down."

Link knew it was useless even before he stood up and placed his own fingers under the door. These things had withstood thousands of years underground; no doubt they could withstand the combined strength of five people, one child, and a demon.

Nonetheless, when Elon yelled "Pull!" Link pulled as hard as he could until his arm burned in agony. The door didn't budge.

"That's not gonna work either!" Link called.

A moment passed and once again Elon reappeared under the door. "I guess you're right. Purah says that there's a box for the back up power in there. Maybe you can cut the power in there. Teba completely obliterated the box out here, so it must have cut the power back on early. Like the thing is fucking black and smoking."

"But the Malice on here...it was _alive_ ," Teba broke in. "It nearly killed me when I was trying to cut the power. It might try to kill him too."

Although something similar had happened on the other Divine Beasts, Link was nonetheless chilled. It had actually spooked the Rito. "Ganon isn't gonna leave this thing unguarded."

Growing uneasy at his own words, Link glanced over his shoulder. All he could see was the eerie purple lights of the Divine Beast and the faint purple glow of Malice. Although he didn't have a shadow in here, he felt as if it would jump out and make an attempt on his life anyway.

"Well, yeah," he heard Teba say, "but it's darker than Hyrule's fucking history in there. You can't see shit, can you?"

 _Darker than Hyrule's history?_ Maybe if he could remember any of Hyrule's history, he would agree.

Elon moved away once more to host another discussion with the others. He reappeared after an intense conversation. "We'll see if there's another way in."

Link shook his head. "Ganon's had plenty of time to learn this thing. I bet it sealed every possible entrance. It wants me alone in here."

"No shit," Elon said. "but it's worth a try."

"I'm gonna try and free this thing while you're at it."

Though Link could barely see the corners of the Gerudo's face, he could hear the concern in his voice. "It's dark in there though. You won't be able to fight."

"I have a light. And there's lights in here." He nervously licked his lips. "And if you can't find a way in I'll have to find a way to fight."

"Don't get too confident," Elon said.

Link smiled bitterly. "Trust me, I'm not. I think this is my only option."

"Good luck. If we find anything we'll help you as soon as possible.

Elon's tall form left the doorway for the last time and Link was left alone. Truly alone. No one to talk to, no one to warn him of something creeping up on him. He inhaled a shaky breath, gazing intently at the white mist that followed. Although the heat outside the Divine Beast was almost unbearable, it was cold inside, like Rudania was trying to freeze him to death. Was it?

He stood up, ears open for any noise within the Divine Beast. So far, like Naboris and Medoh, it was quiet. But that could change in an instant. He was especially on edge in the dark silence. The stench of rot and decay tainted the air, only frying his nerves more.

He pulled the Sheikah Slate off his hip and the light on the eye automatically switched on. He held it up, noticing that the darkness pressed at his light just as it did when he went after the dragon. Or did the Sheikah Slate just have terrible light? He hoped it was the latter.

Either way, he knew he couldn't fight with it in hand.

Now that he could somewhat see, he spotted a strange door with a hole shaped into the Sheikah Eye carved into it. If he made himself as small as possible, he figured he could crawl through it, so he made note. On the ceiling of Rudania's interior were several vents sealed off by Malice that likely kept any light from coming in. Unless he got rid of that he doubted he would be opening them even with Rudania freed. Alongside these vents were electrical circuits that glowed a bright green. They ran across the ceiling and out of sight. To his right was a wide doorway that led to another section of the Divine Beast.

He took a step toward the darkness, and at that moment the thing he was trying to ignore forced itself into the center of his attention. The pain in his chest sharply ripped through him, forcing a cry out of his throat as it sent a wave of weakness throughout his body. He stumbled back and fell on his ass, thinking the door was behind him. The mark on his hand glowed brightly, one piece of the Triforce brighter than the others.

He didn't remember laying down on his back, but that was the position he found himself in. The pain was completely gone, not even the constant, dull throbs that had been there the past couple of days remained. It was as if it has all been a dream. But he knew it wasn't, or else he wouldn't be laying on the floor inside Rudania in the first place. The Triforce no longer glowed.

He stood up, feeling strangely light, as if something that had been weighing him down had finally been released. The Sheikah Slate lay on the floor, its light still shining. He picked it up.

The first thing he thought about was a heart attack. Did he just have one? He knew it could happen to younger people too, or at least people that had the body and mind of a twenty year old.

But then why did the Triforce glow? Why was he perfectly fine now? Better than before, even?

At least that hadn't happened in the middle of a fight. But what if it happened again _during_ a fight? He couldn't die because of some fucking chest pain. Not when he'd made it so far.

Link stood up cautiously, glancing around once more. The Divine Beast was still silent and still, pretending that it still couldn't move. Whatever was in here hadn't heard him. Or it was watching and waiting for the moment to strike. He shivered.

He took a reluctant step forward, expecting something to happen. Expecting to suddenly be thrown across the room by a blow that could easily kill him if it hit the right spot. Expecting one of those searing hot blades to come down on him and slice him cleanly in half like a block of cheese. He braced himself, but nothing happened. Rudania remained silent and still.

A bright orange glow lit up the other side of the Divine Beast. Link hadn't noticed it before, but now he couldn't take his mind off of it. _That's probably the central control unit._ Whatever threat he faced, it was likely there.

He pulled the spear from his back and held it with one hand while he held up the Sheikah Slate with the other. The Malice gave off a dim, purple glow beyond the reaches of the slate's blue light. There was also a lamp with a strange, blue flame. The torch perched in a cup beside it was no more useful than a Sheikah Slate. But it was something he could lose and not have serious consequences.

Replacing his Sheikah Slate in its place on his hip, he opened the glass casing over the lamp and lit the torch. The harsh blue glow that lit up the immediate vicinity gave everything a strange and surreal appearance. It wasn't much better than the Sheikah slate in terms of light, but at least it was warm. He continued on with cautious steps and a watchful eye.

Similar to Naboris, Rudania was separated into smaller rooms. The second room featured a weapons' rack with Goron-made blades and crushers. One of them, different from the rest, sat on the floor like it had been thrown there carelessly. He wondered if it was the weapon Daruk had used during the Calamity, for he could see dark blotches along the crusher's surface and the crusher itself showed obvious signs of wear.

Dismissing the thought, he walked through a third wide doorway. Here he stood across the room from the central control unit, which sat at the very end of the Divine Beast, before the head. Pipes and encased, glowing wires ran along the walls to his left and right and above his head, toward the control board and the glowing power unit. He recognized the box Purah wanted him to find by the glowing symbol that sat on its surface, which was identical to the one outside.

Still no sign of whatever Ganon spawn was in Rudania. Link found himself unable to take a step forward in fear of an ambush. He wouldn't be able to handle it well with a torch in one hand and a trident in the other. Maybe he could if he had a sword, but not while he wielded a spear longer than he was tall.

A shiver ran up his spine. It felt as if the temperature had dropped to twenty degrees below zero despite the warmth of the flame. The stench was unbearable, making it difficult to breathe. He stepped forward, flinching at his own footsteps.

Above him something shifted. Link clutched the trident tightly in his hand and jerked back, turning his head up toward the ceiling. Whatever had moved, it was beyond the reach of the control unit's light. Link stepped back further, eyes glued to the ceiling.

He spotted the orange glow of a stick before it slammed into his side, sending him flying into the nearest wall. Miraculously, he still clutched the trident in his hands, tight enough for his fingers to dig into his palms. It was his lifeline.

Link's body screamed in protest as he pushed himself to his feet. His lip bled profusely; he must have bit it when he took the blow. His entire torso hurt, and every breath sent a sharp pain in his side.

Of his attacker Link could see nothing. The thing had knocked the torch out of his hand and now it lay somewhere within Rudania, its flame gone. He backed himself against a wall, spear held up defensively as if it could take a blow capable of sending its user flying. He had Urbosa's shield, but that wouldn't be of much help either.

The stick had turned into a glowing sword like he'd seen on Medoh. He cursed under his breath, recalling the searing heat that had literally melted his skin.

The sword flew toward him, and Link ducked to avoid it, rushing forward and thrusting his spear. There was a sickening gurgle, and the trident let out a squish when Link pulled it back out. The thing let out a screech and an unseen hand slapped Link away.

He hissed with pain and tried to retreat to the wall once more, but the thing growled and shifted to block his path.

Of course. It wasn't stupid. It likely could see as well since it saw him try to move back against the wall.

Link spun around and stabbed the trident toward the monster, thankful that at least its sword gave away its location.

Instead, the monster grabbed the tip of the trident, shrilly squealing in pain when the end cut into its hand, but clutching it with a death grip nonetheless. He let out a cry when it harshly yanked the trident from his hands and swatted him away when he tried to go for it.

 _No! NO!_

He retreated a few feet, pulling Urbosa's shield off his back and holding it up defensively. Hopefully it could withstand the heat of the guardian sword.

Aside from the shield he was practically defenseless. He could bash the thing with it, but he wasn't sure it would hurt it.

The thing left him no time to think on it more before it swiped at him with Mipha's trident, the full force of the attack going into his right arm, the one he had broken the day before. He grit his teeth to avoid crying out at the pain that spread through his arm and into his shoulder.

The trident snapped, the tip going one way while a piece of the handle went in the other. The monster still held part of the handle, something like a sickly laugh coming from the beast.

 _Now I'm really gonna fucking die._

He didn't think at all about what the Zora family would do to him when they found out he broke Mipha's trident. He just wanted to survive this. He refused to die alone in this darkness.

The monster advanced, and Link retreated. Maybe he could still use the tip of the trident, but it would mean getting dangerously close, for the monster was made of Malice.

When Link's gently bumped the wall, he let out a gasp, an irrational mind telling him that surely something behind him was going to stab him and bring him to his end. He could feel the monster looming over him, its sword readying to deal the final strike.

In a desperate act born from complete terror, Link slammed the shield in the monster's face, the adrenaline numbing the pain that wracked his arm. The thing squealed as it reered back. Link let out a hiss of pain as a droplet of some substance from the beast splashed in his eye. Whatever it was, it was extremely acidic. He could feel the burn eating away at his eye.

Nonetheless he took his chance to run, sprinting for the room that he'd been in upon entering the beast. The thing followed him, the sword serving as his light source.

He spotted the huge door with the hole. Now was the time to see if he could get through it, he decided.

He didn't dare think about what would happen if he couldn't or if the monster got to him first. Dying by a blade hotter than the sun wasn't an appealing thought.

Once he reached the door, he grabbed the edges, pulling himself up and trying to ignore every pain that his body decided to make him feel. He had to survive, in the very least. Maybe one of the others would find a way in and be able to help him.

But somehow he knew he would be on his own.

He was halfway through the hole when something gripped his leg. And then his other leg.

"NO!" Link screamed, kicking at the hands that held him with a death grip. "LET ME _GO!_ " His already hurt arm threatened to betray him with the pain that shot through it as the monster continued to yank at him. He refused to give in, trying harder and harder to pull himself through.

Another hand clamped around his waist. Link struggled to clutch the door, his screams for the thing to let go dissolving into the nastiest curses that came to mind at the monster. He screamed them as if that would make it falter.

Painfully it ripped him from the door, and painfully it flung him across the floor like a ragdoll. He struggled to sit up, no part of his body spared from pain. He coughed up liquid, and was sure he felt something splatter on his hand. But with how dark it was, he couldn't be sure what it was. Hopefully he had a cold and it was just phlegm.

Before he could stood he noticed that his Triforce glowed brightly. He looked up at the beast, wondering if that thing was triggering it. And it did, but not in the way he expected. On its forehead, the Triforce glowed brightly as well-the top piece.

Link's eyes widened with shock and fear.

How?

This thing was only a creation of Ganon, so it probably didn't hold it...but surely Ganon itself didn't have a piece of the Triforce. Would the Golden Three really allow something like that?

The thing stalked toward him, a growl coming from within the beast. Link stared at it, for the moment forgetting he had legs as he scrambled back. There was no way Ganon had the Triforce...no way...

His back hit the wall, and that brought him back to reality. He couldn't afford to space out and think like that. He was alone, and it was his wits alone that could keep him alive.

He only had a moment to avoid the blade that came for him. Searing heat washed over him as he rolled out of the way, hands shielding his head as if that could protect him from being cleaved in two.

Impa had mentioned the Sheikah Slate's abilities. He'd tested them like she suggested, but only now did he touch the Sheikah Slate to attempt to use one.

A circular ball materialized and fell away from the small tablet. The beast growled and backed up cautiously. Link kicked it like a soccer ball, then punched the screen to detonate the bomb. The monster's screech rose to an impossible volume once it realized that he'd blown its face off. Link took his chance to run into the next room.

He remembered the club he saw on the floor and searched for it, finding it within moments. He gripped it with both hands and turned to the doorway, where he could hear the monster stomping in.

If this kept going it would probably end with him dead, especially now that he pissed it off. Every small movement hurt his torso and arm.

He could hear it limping, the Malice that made up the thing gurgling as it moved. He'd hurt it. Hopefully he could finish it as well.

Link grit his teeth, raising the club slightly. He would have to ignore the pain, if only for a few seconds. He waited until he could see the blue light of the ancient blade. He charged forward, raising the club as pain lost all meaning.

He smashed it over the thing's body, wheezing painfully as he struggled to hold the club's weight. The thing screeched as it fell back, and Link could _hear_ a large chunk of its body fall to the floor at his feet. He backed away, keeping a hold on the crusher. The thing started toward him once more, one of its arms still holding the blue sword.

Link responded by charging toward it again, once more swinging the crusher as soon as he was sure it would hit. It shrieked, but that died as the club tore across the monster's face, taking a huge chunk of the monster with it. Its blade went flying as the arm that held it fell apart.

As abruptly as the thing appeared and attacked him, it died, leaving nothing to show that it had been there except an injured Link. The silence was eerie and haunting. In the final moments Ganon had practically given him Rudania.

Despite his struggle, he thought it was too easy. This was the final Divine Beast he had to take. Surely something blessed with the power of the Triforce would put up a better fight.

He let out a shaky, painful breath and clutched the crusher with ailing strength. He waited.

But nothing attacked him. He was alone with the whisper of the Divine Beast's working computer system and buzzing electrical currents.

He dragged himself back toward the head of Rudania, and scanned his Sheikah Slate on the Central Control Unit. He looked down at the tablet. If it could control all four Divine Beasts, what would happen if it fell into the wrong hands?

He inhaled deeply at the unsettling thought. _That won't happen._

"Whoa..."

Link whipped around at the voice, his hairs standing on end when he spotted the ghostly figure just a foot or two away. Upon realizing who it was, however, he let out a sigh of relief.

The Goron Champion grinned, cheerful despite his state of being. His white hair still went up in all different directions and he still wore the cloth that marked him as a champion, despite the fact that Yunobo was still wearing it. It was strange seeing someone like him with an ethereal green glow; in life he'd been so real and down to earth. "I knew you'd be able to take care of that thing. Sorry I couldn't do it myself. I don't work well in the dark, you see-"

"It's not your fault," Link said, smiling lightly. "I barely could myself."

"Yeah..." Daruk's grin faded to a thoughtful smile. "I'm guessing something happened. That's why you're here after a century, talking and everything. You were so silent before."

"I...lost my memory. I mean, I can remember some things but..." Link let the words drag themselves out of his mouth, and didn't mind at all when he trailed off. He hadn't mentioned this to the others. Unless they already knew it was best to leave them oblivious. Especially Mipha.

Daruk's smile faded entirely. Link could tell that the knowledge hurt more than he let on, but he took it with the strength that he always had. "That's disappointing. At least you dont seem as miserable as before. Maybe, in a way, it's better like this. Wait. Do you hear that?" Daruk looked off toward the rest of the Divine Beast.

Pulling himself from his thoughts of the breakdown he and Ghirahim had discussed before going to Goron City, Link followed his gaze. "What? What do you hear?"

"Like a sword being pulled out. You know, that loud ring. Probably just hearing things. There shouldn't be anything here. Anyway, you're...kind of fine. What about the princess?"

There was a pause as Link shook off the chill that gripped him he thought of what he knew of Zelda's condition. "I...I don't know." Link averted his eyes. "I'm hoping she's still alive and okay. But last I heard from her was a few weeks ago."

"She's been fighting for a hundred years. She'll fight a few more if only because she knows you're awake and on your way. She really loved you, you know. She was damned jealous of that Ghirahim guy because of it. Speaking of him..."

"He's alive too," Link said. "He's been travelling with me."

"Figures. You're like a magnet to that guy, and I don't think he aged a day while we knew him before." He looked off at something behind Link. "I don't want to go, but I can't stay here. I just have one request."

Link nodded to show that he was listening.

Daruk clenched his fist. "Kick Ganon's ass for me. And kick it good. Alright?"

Link would have laughed if this wasn't the final request of a dead man. "I'll make sure there's nothing left when I'm done," Link replied. "Goodbye."

"Bye, kid. I hope I won't be seeing you anytime soon."

Daruk faded into nothing, taking away Link's temporary lighthearted mood. A guy like that, who had easily taken most of his fears of what was to come...why him?


	20. The Hero of Time's Gift

Light flooded the Divine Beast as Link opened the ceiling vents and the sun's clingy fingers slipped through. He swayed on his feet, steadying himself with the guidance stone. Overhead, Ghirahim appeared, slowly as if he expected to look down inside to find a dead body. Link looked up at him, giving the demon a small wave.

"So you got it done after all," Ghirahim said, and he stepped toward the edge, jumping and gracefully dropping down ten feet, landing only a couple of feet away from Link. His cape was gone. Link found it strange to see bare shoulders and the entirety of his neck. "The Malice tried to attack us. I've never seen it do that before..."

"You're okay, right?"

Ghirahim narrowed his eyes. "You're asking _me_? You look like you were ran over by a horse."

"I'm fine." Followed by a wince.

Ghirahim laughed, sending a pang of annoyance through Link's aching head. "Keep telling yourself that. Your mouth is bleeding."

Now that Ghirahim mentioned it, Link _did_ have a disgusting metallic taste in his mouth. He wiped it on his sleeve and when he looked he saw blood. He let out a puff of air and looked at Ghirahim. "Maybe you shouldn't point that out. Keeps the pain out a little longer."

Ghirahim raised one invisible brow, an amused smile stretching across his lips. "Odd, but alright. See how long you can ignore... _it._ "

They both turned their heads toward the ceiling when footsteps echoed through the still-shadowy Divine Beast. Brutela was at the head of the group, and the others appeared behind her.

"It's freed?" Brutela called. "So when we get out of here we'll be going to Hyrule Castle."

Ghirahim opened his mouth to speak, the annoyance slowly revealing itself on his expression, but it immediately it softened once he reached some unheard realization. "Well, no. Not yet. You know of the Master Sword, don't you?"

"I thought that was destroyed during the Great Calamity," Teba said. "Who'd keep up with a sword in a situation like that?"

"It's a _holy_ sword," Ghirahim sharply corrected. "No evil can touch it. In fact, no one can wield it but Link. It's the only thing that can kill Ganon, so I'd personally"

 _The Master Sword._ Link barely remembered the blade. It was surely by his side when he fell in the Calamity, but he couldn't remember anything except that he knew he had it. Even its appearance eluded him.

"Why didn't we mention this before?" Link asked.

"I didn't think to. The trip should take a few days, at most. The issue is getting off this mountain."

Unless they fled, of course, the Yiga still occupied Death Mountain. Ghirahim looked toward the control board, arms crossed thoughfully. "Goron City seems to be their center of operation. I say we blow it up."

Link furrowed his brows. "But you killed Kohga. Maybe they fled."

"Kohga killed himself. I just finished the job. His death isn't going to stop them."

"But the Gorons are still trapped there!" Yunobo added, his eyes going wide. "That's the entire reason for me coming up here!"

Ghirahim turned to glare at the young Goron. "Okay. So give me ideas of how to save them. We're already on the Yiga Clan's most wanted list. Every single one of us. They even see us and we're dead."

Yunobo fell silent, his face crestfallen.

"Surely we can do something," Brutela said, giving Yunobo a pitying look.

"Not without getting ourselves killed. We're out numbered two hundred to one."

Unease spread across the group like icing. Link recalled Rudania's cannons and how they almost obliterated the entire group in one shot. The explosions were enormous, and it could blast through rock. He doubted that was the worst the Divine Beast could do. "But it's wrong. It's not gonna be just Yiga that we're killing."

Ghirahim shot him a glare. "It wasn't just Hylians and people allied with them that Ganon killed either. It killed plenty of its own loyal troops."

Elon was silent, brows furrowing as he thought hard on the subject. They couldn't just blow up innocent people, but on the other hand if they stayed there...

"What about a vote?" Purah quipped. "Majority gets to decide what to do. All for blowing up the Yiga raise their hands."

The voting took a moment. Ghirahim's hand shot up like a bullet. The others were more reluctant: Teba and Robbie followed after ten seconds. Then, after another minute and a half, Brutela and Symin raised their hands as well. Link and Yunobo looked betrayed. Elon was pale.

Purah inhaled deeply. It was already obvious who was going to get their way. "All against it raise their hands."

Link, Yunobo, and Purah were the quickest. Elon followed after a few seconds.

Link felt both betrayed and guilty of the betrayal at the same time. Killing the people Daruk was fighting for with the Goron Champion's Divine Beast...

As Link lowered his hand, feeling the chill of horror creep up on him, Ghirahim turned to look at him. "You're the one who has to do it."

Link stopped himself before he could ask why it had to be him. He was the only one that even had an idea of how to control the thing. He turned slowly to the guidance stone, both exhausted and reluctant.

He positioned Rudania, the dread filling up his gut as he turned the Divine Beast around. The camera on the screen could see the entirety of Death Mountain, including the jagged rocks that surrounded the mountain and the rivers of lava slowly flowing down into a large lake that made up around one fourth of the volcano.

He pointed the head toward Goron City and charged the cannons. After hesitating for a long moment, his fingers hovering over the button on the Sheikah Slate, trying to convince himself that this wasn't wrong, he fired.

Rudania jerked, knocking everyone inside it off their feet and forcing the ones outside to grab anything they could to keep themselves from falling off. Link cringed with pain, willing to spend a few moments on the floor while Ghirahim stood up and brushed himself off.

"I think that should've at least sent them off," Ghirahim said. "We should start descending now." There was a pause, then Ghirahim looked up at Yunobo. "Well, boy, what are you planning to do now?"

The Goron paused, beady eyes turning toward the wall as he thought. He couldn't go back to Goron City. Its residents were still in danger. But he wasn't sure what to do. He knew that the Yiga were possessed by that thing in the castle, Ganon.

But he was scared to even get close to it. That thing was something of legend; it always caused unspeakable destruction. And he was scared of it. But helping the Gorons, if they hadn't just blown them all up, would likely require defeating that thing.

A voice that spoke through his apprehension told him that it was best he went, because without him something would go wrong, and it was his duty. But he was still scared.

The Goron inhaled deeply, voice trembling. He wasn't sure if his next words were his own. "I want to go with you. To Hyrule Castle."

Ghirahim rolled his eyes and looked away. The others frowned.

"But you're a kid," Teba said, furrowing his brow.

Yunobo shook his head. He couldn't believe what he was saying any more than Teba could. "I gotta do it. That's why I put this cape on in the first place."

The group exchanged nervous glances. Link didn't know all of the rumors about the danger that lurked about Hyrule Castle, making it impossible to infiltrate, but he knew Ganon would make sure it wasn't a breeze. As for the others, they recalled all the stories of people who had tried to get the treasure locked away in the castle, insisting that they could easily get past all the guardians that surrounded it. Most who went never returned, and those who did spoke of hordes and hordes of guardians and monsters who wouldn't hesitate to tear you apart limb by limb as they relished your screams of pain and terror.

"Fine, come with us if you want," Ghirahim said irritably. "But we can't linger on this mountain."

"Don't tell me we have to go now," Link said, furrowing his brows.

Ghirahim gave him a stony expression. "We can't wait on you to heal. It's your fault for getting hurt in the first place."

Link flushed with anger, but he didn't feel like starting an argument. He was exhausted and hurting, and he had an entire mountain to descend as fast as he could.

Trying to forget what they'd done, one by one the group climbed off the Divine Beast. When Link found himself at the foot of Rudania, he turned to look up at it, but only for a moment.

It was almost over.

The relief that filled Link to the brim made the trek somewhat tolerable. Everything was in place. All he had to do was get the Master Sword, wherever it was, and then they could find a way into Hyrule Castle and defeat Ganon. It would be more than it sounds, of course, but it was still close.

He still wasn't sure what he would do afterward. It felt as if he was a newborn (though now a couple of months old) and being forced to act as an adult. He wondered what he could have done differently a century ago, so maybe he wouldn't be here. All the Champions would have still been alive, and he would have a childhood to recall when he lay in bed at night, rather than struggling to recall even his early years of adulthood.

Though he was a hardass on Rudania, Ghirahim helped Link plenty more than he needed to. By the time they reached the bottom, Link was dizzy and lightheaded and Ghirahim had an arm around his shoulder. Neither of them missed the concerned looks from the others, but Ghirahim dismissed their suggestions to stop and rest for Link's sake.

They avoided the mountain base's village; likely it was where the Yiga fled, and it was too risky with one of their number injured and the other a primary target due to his cape. So they had to climb around the sides of the rocks, which was no easy task.

But soon enough they were back on the road and on the border of Eldin and Akkala. Link had never been so happy to see the eternal autumn that lingered over the region, cursing every tree to grow with the colorful leaves. Compared to the intense heat of Death Mountain, Akkala's cold was a relief. They reached the road well into the night, when the stalmonsters dug their way out of the ground. Link realized almost too late that he left any potential weapons in Rudania, and Ghirahim had to take care of two stalmoblins that surrounded him.

They made camp well off the road, near a small pond surrounded by jutting rocks in case there were search parties. Once again Ghirahim decided to keep watch. He insisted he didn't really need the sleep when Link pointed out how little he'd slept the past few days.

After Link had his turn to bathe in the pond, he sat by Ghirahim and stared out into the night sky.

"You know, it would be really quite nice if Ganon didn't make night a living hell for us," Ghirahim commented. "I must say I like the night. It's pretty out here, even with Eldin Vol-Death Mountain."

Link nodded, appreciating the night sky. But he also felt uneasy, like he was staring at something there and it was staring right back with a gaze overflowing with hatred.

He fell asleep on Ghirahim's shoulder, unaware he'd fallen asleep until he awoke the next morning, laying on the ground with his hood as a pillow and Ghirahim sitting next to him.

Before they set off the next day, Elon tried to deal with Link's obviously broken ribs with no success. Healing magic was incredibly exhausting, and he was still tired from dealing with the arm. Someone else would have to do it.

The walk was dull and, for Link, painful. Birds sang overhead, but with time they became nothing but a constant noise in the background, something to be ignored.

"What was in Rudania, anyway?" Elon asked, deciding to break the silence. None of them were very much into small talk, so often they walked in silence unless some pressing question came to mind. "It fucked you up more than being blown up."

When Link didn't answer, lost in some blank space, Ghirahim nudged him. "Huh?" he asked, looking over his shoulder at the Gerudo. Elon repeated his question.

"I don't know. It was too dark." He stopped, considering the thing he had seen on its forehead. He decided to mention it. "Either it or Ganon had a piece of the Triforce. The top one."

Link didn't see it because he wasn't looking at them, but every face held a look of horror.

"But that's impossible," Elon said. "Only one pure of heart can-"

"Anyone can hold the Triforce," Ghirahim said. "But only one with balanced values can actually use it to its full potential. I suppose some incarnation of Ganon touched it, and as a result it has its very own piece."

"What's that?" Yunobo suddenly asked. He received confused looks until it was noted that his enormous hand was pointing at something in the distance. The figure of a single man walking toward them.

"A traveler? Out here?" Brutela said, only voicing the thoughts of the others.

Who the hell would go all the way out to Akkala? Even if it was beautiful, there was nothing out there but an abandoned citadel, a poor mountain village, and Death Mountain itself. Although one of the Sheikah with them had set off for their home, which supposedly sat on the east coast in Akkala.

The figure got closer. At first, all they could make out was that he was wearing black, all black. Then they made out a strange hat. Then black hair and ash gray skin, along with white tights. The look was funny, really, until the man stood a few feet away from them, and they could see his strange eyes-they were nothing but pools of black with irises that glowed red with the intensity of the hatred contained within them.

" _You_ ," Ghirahim snarled, and that lead to more exclamations as the group, minus Yunobo, recognized him.

Link probably wouldn't have recognized the man if he hadn't looked down at himself the day he put on the mask. Indeed, Link had taken on the same face, the same body type, and had worn the same clothes.

The man grinned. "You," he said, seeming to echo the angered demon.

Link recalled the shadow demon that Kohga mentioned when they first ran into him. This certainly _did_ look like it could fall under the term "shadow demon".

"Who are you?" Ghirahim asked, narrowing his eyes as he summoned his rapier.

"You know damn well who I am," the man responded calmly, completely ignoring the weapon in the other's hand. "I'm the one who tried to put it to you how it was, because apparently you needed a reminder that you're nothing but a piece of shit."

Within an instant Link looked ready to throttle the man, but Ghirahim beat him to that. He lunged, white lips pulled back into a snarl that revealed sharp teeth.

And then he let out a cry of pain and flew back, his rapier disappearing as it flew from his hand. the man simply stood there, grinning like a maniac. Ghirahim slammed into the ground, and Link was distinctly reminded of Naboris when that thing had also sent him flying. Except this time Ghirahim didn't get back up.

Link stared with wide eyes as a chill spread through his entire being. _No... He has to be okay. He has to be._ He prayed for Ghirahim to move, even slightly. But he remained deathly still, half his face pressed into the grass and the morning dew dampening his front side.

"One down," the man said, that insane grin still stretching his face. "What're you so upset about? He's nothing but a whore anyway. Especially since he betrayed Ganon just to get with a pretty boy."

Link stepped forward to retaliate, forgetting that this demon was strong and he was practically defenseless, but Elon stepped in front of him while Brutela sent a stream of fire toward the demon.

The demon hadn't even moved, but yet he appeared as if he'd never been engulfed in flames all. His smile was infuriating and Link wanted nothing more than to smash his face in. The only thing between him and this thing was Elon and Brutela.

Brutela's mouth hung open in shock, her hand, still smoking, drawn back to her chest.

Elon took his turn, holding his blade with both hands as he swung at the demon. The demon backflipped, cleanly avoiding the sword. He ducked under another swipe. The Gerudo grunted with frustration and stabbed at him.

Mistake.

Effortlessly, the demon backflipped once more, cleanly landing on Elon's blade. Still grinning, he kicked the Gerudo in the face and jumped off as Elon fell back, hand clutching his bleeding nose.

"It's sad, isn't it, Link? You're so fucking weak that you can't even deal with me on your own. Your own friends have to try to deal with me, and even then they can't do that, can they?" The demon was staring at him now. The chill bit Link down to bone. The eyes held just as much, if nor more, hatred as the malice. "You barely even managed to take Rudania by yourself. Look at you; you look like you got run over by a damn horse."

That comment stung. If this had been a cartoon, Link's face would have been as hot as the lava on Death Mountain and his ears and nose would have been squealing with the steam that blew out of them.

Elon stepped between them, his nose now visibly crooked and his mouth hanging open so he could breathe. He held his blade ready. Link really did feel distinctly weak then. He would've asked Elon to move if he wasn't practically defenseless without a weapon. All he had was Urbosa's Shield, and the thing had a deep ridge down the middle where the thing had broken Mipha's trident on it.

The demon grinned. "You don't give up easy, do you? Dumbass. All of you." He rushed at Elon, swinging his fist toward the Gerudo. Elon blocked it, letting out a small, shocked gasp of the pure strength in the punch and stumbling back a step. He sidestepped the next swinging fist, and avoided the foot that came for his stomach. He swung his own blade, planning to put his entire weight on the demon, but the demon sidestepped that.

Brutela joined the fray, expecting to clip the demon from behind, but he easily avoided that blade, turning so that he was facing both Gerudo. They both lunged. Brutela attempted to get him between them, swinging her sword and trying to force him backward, but he always managed to keep them in front of him. He never attacked.

Elon whirled and swung his blade, the demon ducked, then lunged, hands held out. Brutela let out a cry, rushing forward in attempt to stop the attack. Elon moved to avoid it, but only managed to get partially out of the way before a hand slammed into his chest, and he fell on his back, completely still and his eyes closed.

The only sign that he was alive was the faint rise and fall of his chest.

 _Gods!_ Link thought, going pale with horror. He wished he could to magic or _something_ to keep this demon from killing everyone around him.

Brutela retreated back to Link, her eyes fierce. She showed nothing of the fear she truly felt.

"It's your fault the Champions died," the demon said.

"He's provoking you!" Brutela exclaimed. "Ignore him!"

The demon continued, heedless of the Gerudo's words. "Mipha, Daruk, Revali, Urbosa...it's your fault, asshole. They were dependent on the idea that maybe your weak ass could deal with something for once and trusted you. And you know what? If your whore over there doesn't die from me, maybe you'll be the one that kills him. Because he trusted you to be able to do something for once."

"Quit calling him that," Link said, trembling. He struggled to make his voice sound firm, but he couldn't. It shook violently as if the man's words had literally rattled him as they had figuratively. _At least I know Ghirahim is alive. For now._

"He's _provoking_ you!"

"And why shouldn't I? That was what you thought of him when you first met him, isn't it?"

"No," Link said, but he wasn't sure.

The man was walking toward them, slowly but surely. "You don't remember, do you? Not one fucking bit. A fucking disappointment you are, not even able to remember your own fuck buddy. But I remember, asshole. I remember every fucking thing. I remember how-"

An arrow pierced the man's neck, but it barely made him flinch. The man gripped the arrow with thick fingers and yanked it out, never even wincing. Then he turned to the rocks looming over them like a colossal dragon's teeth, and overhead at the very tip of one of them stood Teba, a bow held in his hands with another arrow already nocked to it. The man outstretched his hand, and lightning redder than the Blood Moon shot from his palm, engulfing the Rito.

Teba let out a shriek and fell, landing on the ground below with a thud.

"Fucking idiots, that's what all of you are. Only Link himself can hurt me. And the bastard would probably piss his pants and run away before he did that."

"I'm not a coward," Link snapped. At least that much he knew this man couldn't shatter.

"Who fucking cares?" The demon began walking toward them, slowly but steadily. "You're still weak. Courage isn't gonna give you strength. Power will. All I wanted was the Sheikah Slate. Gimme that and you'll never see my face again."

Link slapped a hand over the Sheikah Slate. He was asking too much. "No!"

"Do you think you have a choice?" the man said. "I know everything about you, Link. I've been locked up for well over ten thousand years. I've heard your thoughts, seen your family, every friend you ever had, heard every little secret you wanted to keep. And I know every way I can get that fucking magic rock from you."

Link tensed. Brutela held her blade ready, but she trembled and her face was ten shades lighter. Yunobo had formed some sort of shield around himself.

The man lunged, shoving the Gerudo out of the way and going straight for Link. Link sidestepped, turning to swing his fist. However, the only thing he managed to do was get kicked in the side.

Link let out a cry and fell, curling up on himself.

Brutela swung her blade at the man, forcing him to jump back. He swung a fist at her, probably sick of using his spell, but she deftly avoided and sliced into his neck.

The wound healed almost instantaneously. All she achieved was pissing him off.

"You bitch!" he growled, snatching the wrist that held the scimitar. "Didn't you hear what I fucking said? Only Link can hurt me. You might as well give up."

She gave him a fierce glare and kneed him between the legs. He only grinned.

"I don't have a dick," he said, and harshly twisted her arm, earning a cry of pain as she dropped the blade. Quickly the demon snatched it up and jumped out of reach.

She grit her teeth, stepping away but making sure she was between him and Link. Link was only now getting up, his hand still held over his side and his breathing ragged.

"Are y'all done struggling?" he said, pointing the blade toward them casually. "Or does it need to turn bloody?"

His eyes widened when Brutela leapt toward him. She missed the swinging blade by a hair's breadth, her hand shooting toward the arm that held it. She yanked on it, hard, as she slammed her entire weight into him. They both tumbled down and Brutela began trying to wrench her blade free.

He bit her in the neck, and she screamed as he ripped a piece of flesh away. Her grip slipped, and the scimitar sunk into her stomach.

He pushed her off and stood up, kicking her in the head before she could follow. "Stay out of my fucking way," he said, tone dangerous.

Everything about him was dangerous, really. Link took a step away, hand still held over his Sheikah Slate. It was better he ran, but there was nowhere to go, nowhere to hide. And he couldn't outrun a fucking snail in his current condition.

"You know what I want," the man said, holding out his hand, "and you know what I can do. Give it."

"No." Link cursed himself. What was the point in saying that? This man could just stab him and take it no problem.

"Are you a fucking _idiot_? Give it!"

Everything was going so well. They'd had all four Divine Beasts and would be on their way to Hyrule Castle.

Now, because of a single person-no, a demon-they were going to lose it all. Everything they'd done up until then would all be for nothing.

The man walked up to him, getting alarmingly close. He knew Link was ready to give up. "You've already lost. Give it."

He placed a hand over the one that Link refused to remove from the Sheikah Slate. It was a pointless effort, but he couldn't picture himself simply handing it over.

He started prying at the hand. Link shoved him away and turned to run-a simple instinct, that was all it was. Before he could take a step, the man's fist sank into his side and Link stumbled, breath cut short by the blow. The man crawled on top of him, ripping the Sheikah Slate from his belt.

"You've always been a stubborn bastard, the man muttered as he stood up. When Link shifted to get up he kicked him back down and put a foot on his head. "This time we're not letting that shit keep you going. I've been trapped for probably over a fucking eon, and you're not putting me back there again. I bet my fucking life on it."

The man walked away, but Link didn't bother to go after him.

/

Link awoke under a wooden shelter, his entire body aching terribly. Kass had intervened after the man left, but all he could really do was offer his supply of health potions. Yunobo had been on the verge of panic, but the Rito managed to calm him down and get him to carry the others to the shelter they sat under now.

Elon and Teba had nearly died from the spell, and even after they regained consciousness they were pitifully weak. Ghirahim was less afflicted, but he still went through a period in which he couldn't even stand, and during that period he remained dreadfully quiet, sitting away from the others and refusing to look at them.

Brutela had hardly been any better. They risked taking her to the mountain village, or else she would have bled to death. Symin volunteered to keep an eye on her, so when Kass returned he returned with a cloak for him to hide his clothing with.

Link had lapsed into silence himself. Everyone knew why the Sheikah Slate no longer hung on his belt, but he was in no mood to admit it to them.

He shifted in the grass, thankful that Kass had given him the health potion or else he would be hurting a lot worse. How long had he been here? A day? It felt like a couple of hours. He'd gotten more than enough sleep since the incident.

Out of the corner of his eye, Ghirahim shifted as well, walking toward him.

"This isn't your fault," he said, settling down beside Link as he sat up.

"Well, I should have done something other than stand there," Link said, glancing down at his hand. Ghirahim's eyes followed.

"You were injured and had no weapon. I personally didn't expect you to do jack shit."

Link didn't respond, thinking on the man's words. _Mipha, Daruk, Revali, Urbosa...it's your fault, asshole. They were dependent on the idea that maybe your weak ass could deal with something for once and trusted you._ It was as if that man knew _exactly_ where Link's soft spots were. He knew exactly what the Hylian Champion hated about himself and it was alarming.

"I should have seen it coming," Ghirahim said, taking Link's silence and thunderstorm of emotions as if he still blamed himself. "I should have seen it the moment you started acting weird."

"Who even was he?" Link finally asked, turning to meet the demon's gaze. He didn't really expect an answer.

"A shadow demon. It had to be created in a...past life, I think. Only someone like you could wear that outfit and it not look ridiculous." Ghirahim frowned. "I suspect Ganon created it, which doesn't mean any good for us."

 _The shadow demon Kohga mentioned...that has to be him._ "What's wrong with it? Aside from the obvious."

"As long as your spirit exists, there's always a risk of that demon returning no matter how many times you kill it. And you have the same spirit as the guy that killed Demise...which, you know, he did before Hyrule was even founded.

"Typically a shadow demon only lives as long as a human, which isn't very long for a demon. They aren't powerful, but they know everything about that person and could probably beat them in a fight any day. But a shadow demon made from you? He'd have an abundance of time to leech off of you, and if he does it long enough he could grow to be almost as powerful as the Triforce as a whole. It looks like he's already strong enough, considering he subdued me with a single blow."

Link took a moment to digest the words as fear gnawed at his gut. "Where the hell was he before now?"

"He had to be sealed away. It's the only way he could be that strong yet not be a threat until now. Someone named Link that was supposed to be the Hero of Hyrule decided he couldn't beat him and so sealed him away until he became someone else's responsibility. His little gift to us, I suppose. But how he kept feeding on your spirit after that, I don't know..."

Ghirahim paused, nonexistent brows furrowed in thought. Then his eyes widened.

"The dumbass used himself as a seal. Did he even _think?_ "

"Is that why I looked like him when I put the mask on?"

"Certainly. And why it was silent when I started breaking it. He consumed the soul within it."

Link recalled the fainting spell in Rudania and how he felt better afterwards. He doubted that was unrelated. Perhaps that was when the seal broke, because there wasn't really much of another time he could have escaped. Ghirahim would have seen and said something.

"What can we do about him?" Link asked. "He's probably too strong for us to beat him."

Ghirahim shook his head. "I've seen you do some amazing things. You were injured the other day, but I fully believe when you get the Master Sword back and face him again you'll defeat him."

 _No I won't_ , Link thought, averting his eyes. "Where even is the Master Sword?"

"I believe the Hyrule Forest just north of Hyrule Castle. We should return to Zora's Domain before we go."

Link recalled Kohga saying that the Yiga were eventually going to assassinate the Zora Royal Family. He hoped that they hadn't gone through with the attack while they were gone.

He felt Ghirahim move closer, arm pulling Link snugly against him. "You still feel terrible."

Link spent the rest of his waking hours in silence, comfortably snuggled into Ghirahim's side. Neither of them spoke, but neither of them needed to either. They slept together undisturbed.

/

I mostly included Dark Link because he is one of my favorite characters ever, and I promised myself that he would be included in my next fic. Especially since there's a Dark Link costume in BotW, I couldn't resist!


	21. Dead Man's Blade

I'm not including anything from the DLC, btw. I considered a fifth Divine Beast but I'm not sure what I would do for it.

Also I have absolutely no idea what to do in the next ch lol I didn't think this through everything I write is shit have a nice day

/

Beside them, Zora River rushed on endlessly? pushing against rocks with no effort at all. Ghirahim lead the group as usual, and Link was behind him. Then there was Elon, then Teba, then Yunobo, and Brutela walked alongside Yunobo. Most of their faces were red from the cold. They'd have to get warmer clothes the first chance they got.

Two days before the Sheikah with them had split off for Hateno. Ghirahim had allowed them to take half their supplies, insisting that they weren't go anywhere where fruit trees weren't plentiful.

"When you retrieve the Master Sword, go back to Kakariko. We'll see what we can get together before you go to Hyrule Castle," Purah had said, waving as she walked away.

Those words rolled over and over in Link's head, serving as a constant reminder that by the next week he would likely already be in the castle or would be heading toward the castle. Or dead.

No matter how hard he tried, Link couldn't imagine himself or anyone else navigating the ancient halls, stirring up layers and layers of dust with each step, or dodging any guardian that got in the way. But it would be happening, and soon.

He shivered at the thought.

The trail drooped toward the river and curved out of sight. As they rounded this curve, a tall bridge made out of the same semi transparent stone that Zora's Domain was made from. It glowed faintly in the shadow of the steep hills and cliffs, illuminating four Zora sitting against the guard rails. Above them in one of the two watch towers on either side of the bridge were two more Zora whom were easily recognizable by their tall stature.

"What are they doing out here alone?" Brutela asked, voice hushed as if they had come into earshot of the six Zora.

"Perhaps they're going somewhere," Ghirahim suggested. "Can't imagine where, though. They can't go many places since they live in the water."

"No, that doesn't feel right. Look, one of them is hurt."

The mentioned Zora sat against the guard rail, but his head drooped back against the cold stone, and he was completely still. There was a hastily bandaged wound on his side, but these bandages seemed to be useless as the blood soaked through them. Another Zora dug through a bag, but his look of frustration told that he didn't find what he wanted.

As they approached, a third one looked up, her face wrought with worry. Her skin was a distinct blue, much lighter and prominent than Ziya's. "Who are you?" she asked, trembling hand clutching a long blade. It was difficult to doubt that she could have sliced through anything she damn well wanted to.

"Link is the one that dealt with your issues with Vah Ruta," Ghirahim said, motioning toward the Hylian beside him.

She relaxed, but within half a second she tense again. "If that's true, then you would have that tablet thing, right? The Sheikah thing?"

Link felt his stomach drop. Ghirahim fell silent, glancing at him out of the corner of his eye. The others shuffled nervously behind him.

"It was stolen," the demon finally said.

She took a step back. "So you have no way of proving who you are. We've had enough Yiga pretending to be the Hylian Champion..."

"Relax, Cory. It's the real thing this time."

The Zora name Cory flinched, then looked above her where Ziya had stood long enough to assure her before turning to wake her brother. Cory glanced at the others and hesitated, her eyes still holding the instinctive fear, before she lowered her weapon.

Sidon jumped down, and Ziya followed after him.

"It's good to see you," he said, but his voice held none of the energy it had the first time Link met him.

"I'd assume that something happened, then?" Ghirahim said, his voice carrying none of the weight the situation suddenly held.

Both Zora averted their eyes. Cory followed their example. It was only a second Zora, who had a bright gray color, that dared to look up. "Our king was killed. For now, at least, the Yiga Clan occupy the domain."

 _So Kohga wasn't lying._ Link swallowed hard. And now he knew that the Yiga wouldn't stop, even with their leader dead.

But he couldn't help but wonder if Kohga was truly dead. Surely he'd have hesitated to kill himself if he had any desire to stay alive, even if it was to kill Link.

"That doesn't mean I don't wanna go to Hyrule Castle," Ziya broke in. Her voice trembled with barely contained anger. Her sharp teeth suddenly became more prominent. "If anything I want to go _more._ Someone's gonna fucking pay for our dad's life."

"I do too," Sidon said. "Father..." His voice cracked at the word, and he cleared his throat. "Father taught us how to kill a guardian. In case we had to. I think that could be of use to you." He turned his head to the four soldiers. "How is Bazz doing?"

The third Zora, a tall dark brown one, spoke. He looked less like a warrior than the others, and his hands trembled. "I... I can't say for certain he'll live. Prince Sidon, Princess Ziya... You don't really intend to go there, do you?" He looked up at the enormous Zora. "No one has made it there in a century."

"Fronk, I have to. It would be an insult to Father if I didn't."

The light gray Zora spoke up. "I'll be damned if you think I'm gonna just let the future Zora King We don't want a repeat of Princess Mipha and the elders. I'm going too."

"I think we have enough people," Ghirahim said snappishly. "Unless you're willing to get your own food."

"This isn't part of your job," Sidon said softly. "You have a family. Go to them. Help Bazz."1

The Zora shook his head, clutching his spear with a death grip. "My family are under the control of the Yiga. Vah Ruta is raging again. If you're going to go after the thing causing all of this, this is the best way to help them."

Link looked at Ghirahim out of the corner of his eye, lips pursed. Ghirahim narrowed his eyes.

"Sorry to spoil your moment of honor, but we can't exactly sustain eleven people on what we have now. Even minus me," the demon said, his voice kind but laced with annoyance.

"We have provisions," the light gray Zora said, motioning toward a bag laying against the guard rail along with a spear. She returned Ghirahim's annoyance. It was obvious they'd hardly been prepared for an attack, or there would have been more reliable weapons.

Ghirahim watched Link's response out of the corner of his eye. Links brows were furrowed. He chewed on his lip, completely unaware as he watched in silence. He couldn't understand why he was so against more people.

More people meant less of a chance for you to die. But it also meant that more lives were at risk.

/

Dusk rolled across the world, and no person had a speck of energy left. Before they left, Elon had managed to help Ziya heal the worst of Bazz's wounds, since the Zora was too emotionally and physically exhausted to do much herself. For a while they simply sat away from the group, chatting the time away while they worked. Bazz was in and out of consciousness, but as the night progressed he got better.

It had taken them four hours to reach the bridge that cut across the Zora Lake, and another hour for them to find a boulder that they could rest under. From where they sat, just up the hill Hyrule Castle would be in view.

Ghirahim left, never stating where he would go. Elon was unusually irritable for the entire night, and for a time his neutral expression was a glare pointed toward the night air. He recalled all too clearly the last time Ghirahim had left without saying where.

It was only twenty minutes after Ghirahim left that Link walked up the hill, completely ignoring the threat of stal monsters. Apparently in the region around Kakariko and Central Hyrule horses and their dead riders would appear to slaughter anyone that they came across, but Link didn't care.

He stood at the top of the hill, his feet at the very edge of a steep cliff. Below him a river rushed by, and a guardian stalker wandered through the grassy fields, unaware of the Hylian gazing down at it.

Link turned his gaze toward Hyrule Castle. Just as always, the seven pillars stood around it, emitting their eerie purple glow. That black cloud continued to swirl just as it did when Link awoke. Now he was close enough to notice the Malice attached to the side of the castle, the strange substance having formed solid spikes.

Was that where he lived out his childhood? His teenager years?

 _Who was my mom? My dad? What was my childhood like?_

 _Goddesses, how old even am I?_

Suddenly he missed people he didn't remember. Times he didn't remember. He clawed about his own mind, hoping to find a face for his own father, but he came up nothing.

Link was a dead man, just like his dad. Just like his family. Someone else inhabited his body now. Someone with no identity of their own. This someone had to do everything Link ever did and more.

That had to be it. That had to be why he remembered so little.

Link laughed bitterly, but this laugh dissolved into tears. He cried into his hands, bawled like a little fucking baby.

He wasn't unaware of who was there until he grabbed his shoulder, and Link turned to find Ghirahim looking down at him with a nonchalant expression. Link turned away again, pained to even look at him.

Within moments his hand was in Link's hair, smoothing out anything that wasn't in his hairbow, even if Link had turned away. "I left for thirty minutes and find you like this. What's gotten into you? I've only seen you cry like that once."

Link remained silent, certain that if he shared his thought Ghirahim wouldn't accept it.

"And neither time you wanted to talk," Ghirahim said, slowly tugging the hairbow out of Link's hair, ear open for any complaint from the Hylian. He ran his fingers through the wild thing that hung loosely against Link's neck, carefully pulling out the tangles. Link closed his eyes, leaning his head forward into Ghirahim's chest. Ghirahim hummed softly in approval despite the mess before him and continued his handiwork. "Bottling things up won't help you. We don't another explosion like that one time, do we?"

Link bitterly recalled his breakdown a century before. He didn't want to even think of that at the moment.

"Where did you go?" Link asked. "Elon's pretty pissed off about it."

Ghirahim paused, adjusting to the change in subject. He pressured Link no more, but continued to run his fingers through his hair and allowed the conversation to run its course. Maybe it would come back to that. "I know that. He gave me a few ugly looks when I asked where you were. But I only went to Castle Town. I wanted to get into Hyrule Castle and find a possible easy way up, but I couldn't get in. The bridge gate is closed."

"Is that really what kept people out for a hundred years? A bridge gate?"

"I doubt it," Ghirahim said, the smile audible in his voice. "Guardians swarm around there. Only someone skilled at stealth could even make it close to Hyrule Castle, and even then I'm sure there are places where stealth won't help you. A Zora could simply take the river to get in, but there must be some reason why no Zora has gone into Hyrule Castle. I'd find out myself if I knew the place well enough to teleport inside."

"Did you find out what the pillars are for?" Although they hadn't been a pressing question on his mind, he did feel a small pang of curiosity every once in a while. Now was one of those occasions.

"No. They appeared during the Calamity. Perhaps people knew of them before the Calamity, but most of the research is lost within the castle."

Link paused, then changed the subject again. "Ghirahim, how old was I before the Calamity?"

Link felt Ghirahim's fingers halt. The stop only lasted a fraction of a second, but it was noticeable. "Why do you ask? I don't see much of a reason for you knowing. Everything is so disorganized now, even after a hundred years. You're not going to require some sort of identity like that in order to function as part of society."

"Everyone should know their age. I don't. Do you know my birthday too?"

He frowned. "I don't know my age either, but... Your birthday is in the winter. December fourth. I can't be certain of your age. I know you were older than Zelda. She'd turned seventeen the day of the Calamity."

Link frowned and fell into silence. Only old men forgot their age and birthday. He was old for a Hylian, sure, but he wasn't exactly considered elderly. He changed the subject again. "Are we just gonna rush into Hyrule Castle despite the Divine Beasts?"

Ghirahim took a moment to adjust. "Do we have a choice? Are you sure you want to keep quiet?"

"It's stupid. Anyway, aren't you worried about Yunobo? He's only a kid."

Ghirahim didn't take it this time. "I'd think if you were crying like that it's not 'stupid'."

Link looked up at him now. Ghirahim only twisted a strand of hair around his finger and looked down at him.

"I'll get over it," Link said.

Ghirahim frowned, but didn't pressure him. "Don't shut yourself out like before. You'll become a mess."

"From the moment I woke up I was a mess."

"Then pull yourself together. You can't afford to be a mess now."

"I'm trying," Link said, now thoroughly enjoying the treatment his hair was getting. "This feels nice."

"I would hope so." That was the shortest response Ghirahim had given. He lapsed into silence, his fingers still running through the blond hair. "Tomorrow you'll be getting the sword."

"I know."

"Good luck."

/

"Is this it?"

Link stared into the thick, soupy fog uneasily. Behind him stood everyone else. Ghirahim crossed his arms.

"This is it," Ghirahim said, holding back frustration at Link's hesitance. "I can't think of anywhere else the sword would be. And I think I can sense it somewhere in there. You'll have to go alone."

"This isn't the type of place where I'd want to hide a sacred blade," Teba said.

"Name somewhere better," Ghirahim said, turning to narrow his eyes at Teba.

"Tangyar Canyon. There's a temple there-"

"That's filled to the brim with guardians. Try again."

Teba frowned. "A forest isn't much better."

"A lot of people say they want to come here and take the blade for themselves. They're all fools, but I've heard no one say the Master Sword is somewhere else. I can't guarantee that it's here, but the chance is high. Plus this isn't an ordinary forest. Only a select few people can get through."

"I don't think I can see five feet in front of me in that fog," Link said, turning to Ghirahim. "Are you sure this is the place and it's not, I don't know, cursed?"

Ghirahim rolled his eyes. His patience was running thin. "It's not fucking cursed. Quit acting like a coward. When will all of you stop acting like I'm some fool? Most of you oppose _everything_ I say." He turned to the others, sending another glare at Teba in particular.

The Rito straightened his back so that he had at least a foot of height on Ghirahim and returned it.

"Now we can see which two people have the most sensitive pride here," Link said, grinning like a little boy. "Fine. I'll go in. See you tomorrow, if I don't get lost. Or cursed."

Ghirahim broke the standoff to look at Link. "I doubt you'll get lost. And you'll probably be back by today. Watch."

But Link had already been swallowed by the fog. It felt strangely quiet and uncomfortable without him especially for Ghirahim.

"What if he _does_ get lost?" Yunobo asked. Being the youngest one of the group, he didn't talk much. Neither did the four Zora; they remained by Sidon and Ziya's side in their new spot near the front, just behind Brutela, but they displayed no wish to truly get to know anyone.

"He'll be brought back here," Ghirahim said, his voice holding none of the usual contempt that it did when he spoke to him. "There's a reason why no one has actually seen the Master Sword."

For a few moments, his mind drifted off to the sacred blade. He knew of the spirit that resided within it. Perhaps without her the one from the sky would have never succeeded. But when he mentioned her to the Link that was now somewhere within the Great Hyrule Forest, only a couple of hours after he met him, neither he nor the princess knew who she was. He'd said nothing of her since, but he knew she was alive. So why had she been quiet?

The others seemed to sense that his mind had drifted off, something they'd never seen. Then he turned away from them. "Keep an eye out for Link, will you? I'll be back in a bit. I don't like simply waiting around."

Elon shot narrowed his eyes. "Last time you said that you were gone the entire day."

"Well I was busy," Ghirahim replied, trying to keep his cool. He couldn't lose it when Link wasn't around. "I'd have returned sooner if I knew what would happen." Why couldn't these people understand?

Elon seemed to accept this, although it was obvious by his still-sour look it would take more to earn his trust back.

Ghirahim shook his head and stepped off the road, into the trees. Slipping behind a small oak, he prepared himself to teleport. He figured he'd find a group of Yiga in Faron Woods and deal with them. That wasn't too far, and he definitely enjoyed doing things like that. Or...

"I know what you are."

Ghirahim whipped around to find Brutela standing just behind the tree, her expression cautious and shielded. Her red hair, a staple of the Gerudo, hung against her back in a braid. Her eyes were a deep yellow, apparently a trait only pureblood Gerudo had. They were sharp and intelligent, only allowing the slightest hint of a human being to show. She was a soldier, and her demeanor showed it.

He tilted his head, the statement so out of the blue that he hadn't quite caught on. "What?"

"You're a demon, aren't you?" She took a step forward as Ghirahim's eyes widened. "You're on the same page as those monsters."

"Well... I..." He cleared his throat, head throbbing with annoyance. How long had she known? "Well... yes. I'm in no position to deny it, am I? Who told you?"

"Ziya," she answered simply. Then she threw her own question at him. "Why haven't you told us?"

"For the obvious reasons. Already Elon distrusts me. Imagine if he heard I was a demon."

"But you're smart, aren't you? You should know that won't last forever." Her accent was thick, especially since she spoke fast, apparently afraid that he would lose his cool and turn away or attack her before she had her say. She crossed her arms. "Tell them now, and maybe they won't trust you for a while. Maybe someone else will try to take your position as...I guess a leader. But that's okay. Link knows, doesn't he?"

Ghirahim didn't answer, but he stared at her, his single ear listening carefully.

"He's got a sort of charm that'll make just about anyone like him. And he'll jump to your defense as soon as he's aware of the issue. How he got attached to someone like you, I don't know... But I know he can probably resolve it quickly. But if you don't tell them... They'll find out somehow. The distrust will be there, and it will be a lot harder to get rid of it. Even if you hid it for obvious reasons we all have a way of assuming the worst. That Rito especially. It is your choice, Ghirahim. That is simply how I see it."

Ghirahim stared at her, rolling her words over in his head. He creased his brow, causing Brutela to tense up. "You're treating me like a traitor."

She frowned. "No, I'm not. But demons are looked down upon. The term is literally defined as an evil spirit-"

Ghirahim disappeared in his signature cloud of diamonds.

Brutela flinched. She blinked, and realized that he'd simply left. She let out a sigh and turned back toward the road, deciding to watch out for Link as he had requested.

Ghirahim wasn't bad, but that didn't mean he wasn't easy to piss off.

/

Link jumped as the faint laugh of a child echoed through the woods, the sound bouncing off every tree and surrounding him. It seemed to mock his uneasiness as he wondered what kind of child could be in this forest. The distinct howl of a wolf followed.

He'd been walking for hours and his feet were exhausted. He doubted he could defend himself well if we were attacked by wolves.

He could hardly see his own hand at his side through the fog. He was beginning to doubt again. What kind of fucking sacred blade would be here? If Link was the only one that could wield it, why would they need to _hide_ it?

He shook off the thought with a shuddering breath and continued forward. Overhead, he saw branches and splotches of pink, which he realized were leaves. It was the only distinct feature of this forest, and he'd been walking toward it for the past hour. He'd been so paranoid that he couldn't be sure if it was getting bigger or smaller. Surely it wasn't the same size, was it?

He glanced toward a tree as he passed, noticing its unnatural thickness. Then he noticed the mouth that was as big as he was and the jagged teeth. He flinched back, his mind screaming the irrational thought that the tree was going to lunge at him and make him its midday snack.

But the tree stayed out, it's wooden eyes staring endlessly down at him. He laughed with shaky relief. There were more trees like it, but he had no desire to ever go near them.

 _You know what?_ he thought. _I'm going fucking crazy._

He adjusted the bag on his left shoulder, then the lizal blade on his right. He shot the tree a glare, blaming it for all his problems. Then he continued on, mindful of the pink leaves above him.

It wasn't long after that Link came across a patch of bright pink flowers sitting under a tree. Throughout his entire five-hour walk through the Great Hyrule Forest, Link had not seen one flower, so he regarded these with caution. He approached them slowly, brows furrowed. He reached them and leaned over slightly. Was that something moving?

"YAHAHA! You found me!"

The form that launched itself at him managed to hit him in the face. Link cried out and fell back on his ass, holding his nose as it throbbed with pain, while the thing let out a small scream.

He blinked twice and pulled his hand away, looking down to find blood smeared in his gloved palm. Then he looked up at the thing, ready to draw his weapon at a moment's notice. His eyes went wide.

It was a short and fat thing, with arms probably not even long enough to hold a thin stick. It was made entirely of wood, and its "face" consisted of a leaf with two circles and a triangle cut out of it. The entire thing looked like something a child would create for school. A small leaf stuck out of its head. As it looked up at him, letting out a small whine, something within it rattled.

"What the hell _are_ you?" Link blurted.

The thing tilted its head, it's small body trembling. Or rather, it's body bent slightly. It seemed to disregard him as a threat and relaxed. "What do you think I am? I'm a Korok, of course! What are _you?_ "

"A Hylian," Link replied, blinking rapidly. How did this thing not know what Hylians were? They were everywhere.

Except here.

The Korok considered him for a moment. "A Hylian? A real Hylian!" The Korok jumped up with joy. "Wow! We don't get many of you here! The last one was that sweet lady that came a hundred years ago! She had to leave really fast though. Something about a castle. She gave us the Master Sword back."

 _Princess Zelda?_ Link guessed.

The Korok considered him for another moment, his little arm rising to tap his face in thought. Then his entire being lit up with realization. "Whoa! You're Mr. Hero, aren't you? The one that's supposed to stop the scary thing?"

"Well, I mean..." Link averted his eyes. "I guess."

The Korok jumped with joy and excitement. "I knew it! Only someone as brave as you could make it through our forest! The Great Deku Tree says that no one comes through because the woods are too scary."

"I guess I have to kind of agree with them. They're spooky, aren't they?" Link said as he stood up. Really he doubted that was the only thing keeping them from coming. The Korok nodded.

"I'm sorry for hitting you. I shot out a little too late." The Korok held out an arm. Kneeling down to its height, Link took it with two fingers and shook it. "I'm Maca. You want me to take you to the Great Deku Tree? He probably wants to talk to you."

"Please," Link said. He figured that this Great Deku Tree wasn't actually a tree, but rather a larger Korok. Maybe he was older than the others if he was considered the leader.

"Follow me!" Maca exclaimed, and he took off, his innards rattling wildly as he went. Link's eyes widened, but he followed after him at a fairly quick jog.

 _He's pretty quick for someone so small._

He followed Maca into a narrow road cut out of stone. Here he noticed the floating lights within the fog. He heard the giggling again, but this time it was quieter. More distant. The air smelled strongly of a storm.

Eventually they came across a lamp that cut through the fog like scissors through paper. They passed under what Link guessed was a fallen tree that had been hollowed out to make a tunnel. But it had been a huge tree, it's trunk much wider than Link was tall.

 _I don't see any other tree nearly that big,_ Link thought, frowning. Then he thought of the tree with the pink leaves. He was sure he could see from outside the forest if he got a good view of it.

Maca continued through the tunnel, where they stepped onto a stone path. Then he stopped, and Link stopped with him. He continued to follow this path with his eyes right up to a stone altar surrounded by three pillars. He could see something in the middle, something that glinted in the sunlight. Although it was too far to see, Link guessed what it was.

"The Great Deku Tree is just up there," Maca said, oblivious to Link's racing heart as he looked up at him. "You look tired. Maybe he'll let you rest here for a while."

"I'll be fine. I have people to go to," Link said. "Thank you, Maca."

With that, he started along the stone path toward the altar, toward the Master Sword. The blade that belonged to a man long dead.

He didn't catch the look of shock the _tree_ was giving him until he looked up, trying to find this Great Deku Tree. A look of shock crossed over Link's own face, mirroring the tree's.

"You're alive?" the tree said, the wood _moving_ to form words. "I thought surely you'd..." He trailed off as Link took a step back, trying to bury his shock.

"You're the Great Deku Tree?" Link asked, feeling shy for the first time in weeks.

"I am," the tree said. "You don't remember me, do you? We've only met once before, but I would think surely you'd remember. You came for that blade that rests in front of you. I must admit I pitied you...you were terrified then."

Link shifted nervously. First the Koroks and now a talking tree. "Well I...I lost my memory. When they put me to sleep."

"When they put you in the Shrine of Resurrection?" the Great Deku Tree said, throwing Link off. No one had told him that was the chamber in which he'd woken up. "Yes...Princess Zelda suspected that would happen. She's the reason you're here today. You're our last hope."

"But why?" Link asked, anger suddenly rising. "Wouldn't it have been better to just...pass that to someone else? I'm supposed to be fucking _dead!_ "

Link knew it was a selfish thought. But he thought he'd rather be dead than alive with broken memories of his past and the word of others. No one even knew his name, only that he was the Hylian Champion and that he was supposed to be dead.

He didn't belong anywhere. Both he and Ghirahim were from different times and didn't belong in this one.

The Great Deku Tree frowned. "I can't imagine how that must feel. But there is no one else that could take your position. You're the only one that would adapt to the responsibility given to you rather than crack. A hundred years ago you were terrified. You refused to take the sword until you came to that same realization. The sword chose you for that reason."

Link frowned head still throbbing. "The sword chose _me?_ So I'm involved in this entire thing because of the judgement of an inanimate object?"

"No...not like that. I can't be sure of how it all happens, but I know there is a spirit in this sword. That same spirit spoke to the princess a hundred years ago" the Deku Tree explained. "And remember you're not alone in your suffering. Although she has trapped Ganon, Ganon has also trapped her. I'm sure it is trying to kill her."

Link turned his gaze to the Master Sword sitting peacefully in its stone pedestal. The design shaped into the purple hilt resembled a bird's wings. So was that sword similar to Ghirahim in that it had a spirit? Why didn't he remember it, then?

"I suppose you didn't come here just for talk, didn't you? If you came for the blade, draw it. After all, it is not me it belongs to."

"It doesn't belong to me either," Link replied.

"Yes it does. It is yours to wield and command. Now, draw it. For every second you dawdle Ganon gets stronger. I fear for the princess...she was a such a sweet girl. She has a smile like the sun. I'd do much to see it again, if I could. Please, save what is left of her. Surely a hundred years have taken their toll. We must pray that she is in her right mind."

 _Is she really like that?_ Link hadn't remembered much of anything pleasant about her, and the only opinion he'd heard Ghirahim express on her was the second time he saw him, when he'd been angry at her. He likely shouldn't have developed a low opinion on her based on a single memory and someone's word alone, but he couldn't stop himself.

He looked toward the Master Sword again. To draw it would mean he'd have to accept the task given to him completely. There was no hesitating when the time came for him to go to the castle. No hesitating when he found himself standing in front of Ganon, whatever from it took. He couldn't even desire to back down and let someone else do it. Because he was the only one that could.

He inhaled deeply and approached the blade. He wrapped his fingers around the cool purple hilt, quietly noticing the yellow gem which glowed brightly. The symbol of the Triforce had been carved into the glowing white blade.

He pulled the Master Sword from its pedestal and found that the blade that had once belonged to a dead man was as light as a feather and cut through the air easily, its blade giving off a blue light as he did so.


	22. Plans

i didn't realize there were people actually reading my fic here so bless u mari, who says they love the fic.

/

Overhead wires and tubes hung low, and the control board was nearby, just across the small room. Everything was lit up by a purple glow that spoke of who the technology belonged to. The only living being was the shadow demon that stood at the doorway, the Sheikah Slate clutched tightly within his trembling hands.

The room felt small, way too small. He didn't want to be here.

He gingerly approached the control board, the glare of the screen hardly comparing to the glow of the red hate in his eyes. His black hair hung around his face in a tangled mess, and his tunic was ripped in several places. A foul stench still hung around him as it had so long ago, when he'd faced the Hero of Time and lost. He could still recall the satisfaction of being killed, at least for the time being, but knowing that he hadn't done so without leaving his mark.

A shame he hadn't been the one to take the little bastard's eye.

He stared down at the control board as he turned his thoughts toward the present, thick brows furrowed. What the fuck even was this? Why the hell did he have to deal with it in the first place? "This is bullshit. I don't know any of this."

 _Figure it out._

The monstrous voice echoed through his head, seeming to slam into the insides of his skull, resulting in a pounding headache.

"Why don't you try figuring it out?" he snapped back, yelling his response loud and clear to the ceiling. He wondered in the back of his mind if the fact that he was hearing this voice meant that he was insane. He doubted that the beast that his creator, Ganondorf, had become could still speak coherently, even in telepathy.

 _Just check the barrier, dumbass. Is that really so hard to do? Or are you only skilled at being beaten by teenage boys? I haven't forgotten your failure in killing the Hero of Time._

"SHUT UP!" he screamed, his eyes blazing.

 _Are you sure you want to speak to me that way, fool? Don't forget what's inside you. Fail me, and I may just have to make use of it. I'm giving you simple tasks. So figure out how to do them._

Although he was already cold, the chill that ran through him made him shiver nonetheless as he recalled the Malice. Over the years in captivity, he had evolved enough to have a mind of his own, making him much more intelligent than he had been. He could remember things for more than a few days. For years, even. And, while he was definitely separate from Link in both mind and spirit now, all this ancient technology seemed to think he was the Hero of Hyrule. But these strengths also left him vulnerable to one of Ganon's best known abilities—possession.

His hands trembled now as he shook his head and looked down at the control board once more. He could easily prevent the issues that faced him.

He supposed the barrier was good based on the green icons. It was hard to tell when he couldn't read.

He turned away, preparing to leave, when Ganon's voice interrupted him again. _One more thing._

He felt his anger flare, but for now he didn't let it go.

 _I want you to add the Hylian Champion's friends to the target list for the guardians, as primary targets. I already have the Hylian Champion himself in. All you have to do is speak their name and their race._

"I guess that's easy..." He looked down at the control board hesitantly. The screen showed a banner at the top and what looked like bullets to a list below it.

"Teba, Rito," he said, and the name appeared on the list. At least he guessed it did.

/

The mist that surrounded Link twisted and churned, sometimes revealing places and people that seemed familiar, but Link could never place who they were. This mist was definitely different from the forest—this felt surreal. Blue lights shifted within it, moving in and out of view.

He stood in a flat, grassy field. Some distance away was a hill, and at the top of that hill was a tree.

"Where am I?" he asked aloud, though he did not expect an answer.

Just as he thought, silence was the only response.

His gut twisted as he realized that he was alone, and not just alone in the middle of Hyrule. Alone in the middle of nowhere. Had the Master Sword killed him? This certainly looked like it could be the afterlife.

But why would it? The fact that he still carried the sacred blade on his back reinforced that thought. So why the hell was he here?

He would have to find out himself.

Shaking his head in an attempt to ward off the creeping fear, he started toward the tree, the only visible thing in sight. When he reached it, he saw a man sitting between its roots. Had he not worn Link's tunic, Link would have never recognized him, for the man had no face. All there was was a blank space.

The Champion's Tunic was torn and burnt along the sleeves and the stomach, and directly in the chest was a horrible burn that appeared to almost guarantee death. In his hands was the Master Sword, contained within its sheath. But even the sword looked as if it had seen better days.

"Where am I?" he asked once more, and the man looked up. Somehow, Link felt his response.

 _Your own head._

The entire situation felt horribly familiar, but _Link couldn't fucking place it._ Trying to recall whatever it was only brought him back to the Shrine of Resurrection. Around him the environment shifted, the blue glowing lights of the chamber poking from the darkness.

"Am I asleep?" Link asked the... Was it a copy of him? If this was his head, who was this guy supposed to be?

This time there was no response.

He frowned as the familiar lights faded to nothing once more. "It feels empty."

The other Link glanced around as if to confirm the voiced thought. "I'm the only thing left. From a hundred years ago, anyway."

 _From a hundred years ago?_

"What do you mean by that?"

Instead of answering, the other Link drew the sword, revealing the rusted and broken blade. Unlike the Master Sword that rested comfortably on the real Link's back, it emitted no glow. The real Link took a step back.

"What the hell are you doing?" he asked, furrowing his brows. He took a step back, hand ready to grab the Master Sword should he need it.

"You know what I'm doing. You're me." This time he physically spoke, and his exhaustion was shown in his voice.

Link's eyes widened. Although the blade was surely ready to break, he was not ready to have a chunk of it in his gut. "What're you talking about?"

But instead of answering, the man rushed at him. Link jumped sideways, narrowly avoiding the damaged blade. By instinct he drew the Master Sword, eyes wide with fear. There was a pause as both Links stared at each other, waiting for the other to make the first move.

The fake Link said nothing more but Link knew what he was thinking: _Fight me._

If this was all in his head, then why was he having to settle this through a sword fight? He didn't know, but he supposed he would just have to roll with it.

He sidestepped a jab from the fake, responding with a swift swing. However, the only thing his blade met was steel, and he pulled back, cringing as the Master Sword scraped against the weathered blade.

He tried once again to hit the other, only for his blade to meet steel once more. He stepped aside another stab, only for the fake to follow by swinging the blade straight into his side. Link cried out and stumbled away, hand clutching the wound like his life depended on it.

Link was sure the other was grinning behind his blank mask, a grin that marked him as mad even with his calculated movements. This was definitely a soldier he was facing, not a brainwashed villager that had unwillingly joined the Yiga Clan, nor a mindless monster. It was someone who spent years and years training and wanted to survive.

He swung his sword once more, but the fake caught it with his own blade. It was a wonder how it held out as Link advanced more, wanting him to parry his blows so that maybe he could break the blade.

However, it seemed to show no wear as Link continued to swing again and again, ignoring the pain and wet feeling in his side. He could deal with that later.

One last attempt seemed to trigger something within the fake, and he rushed forward, elbow sinking into Link's chest. The Hylian Champion fell, his hood tugging against his neck as he looked up at the fake standing with one foot on his chest, holding him down. He pointed the blade at his neck, the cold demeanor of the other radiating off of it.

Link could feel the glare of the fake burning into him. The Master Sword had sent him here to kill this man, because he was mad and a time bomb waiting for the perfect moment to blow.

And he'd failed.

"Link? Link are you alright?"

Suddenly he was back in the forest, the orange glow of the afternoon sun reaching through the trees, dotting his face. The greenery around him swayed with a breeze as he looked up at the Great Deku Tree, who furrowed his brows in concern. Link lay on the ground just as hed been when the other Link was ready to kill him, the Master Sword clutched in his hand with a death grip.

"I'm fine," he answered quickly, as soon as he'd come to his senses.

 _I'm supposed to be stronger than I was before, but..._

He felt cold, yet sweat ran down his face. What would have happened had he been killed in the...was it a vision? He decided to call it that. A vision.

He shook the thought off, figuring he could worry about it later. But he knew he would have to face it eventually.

"Are you sure? Your face went blank and then you collapsed... What happened?"

"It's nothing. I'll be okay," Link responded, trying to keep his voice firm. He still felt the pain in his side, though it died away as the seconds passed. He was fine. Perfectly fine.

He looked up at the sky, which was quickly turning from a bright orange to dull blue. "I should get back before someone starts looking for me."

A visible frown set into the Great Deku Tree's face. "Alright," he said reluctantly. "Do be careful. Wolves lurk in this forest. They are friendly with the Koroks, but Hylians are another story. The Master Sword's scabbard sits at my base."

Link glanced down at the sacred blade, then toward the base of the tree. He found the scabbard almost immediately, spotting the Triforce carved out of gold first. The entire thing was built out of sapphire, with a steel inside and gold trimmings. It felt familiar in his hand when he picked it up, and even more so when he slid the blade into its sheath. For now, at least, he allowed the vision to drop out of kind. He could sorry about it later.

Although he was sure he would have to face it again eventually.

\\\\\

When Link returned with the Master Sword in hand, the group chose to spend the night at the edge of the woods. The next morning, they set off for Kakariko Village, the mood considerably heavier than before. Several sets of eyes found it difficult to keep off the sword on Link's back.

As soon as they realized their destination, the Zora of the group immediately split, opting to take the river rather than walk. Since they were already having trouble with food with what they had, they were left to catch their own. They would meet near the Lanayru Wetlands and walk from there.

Perhaps the Blade of Evil's Bane should have brought comfort, for it was the weapon that would slay Ganon in the end, but it did just the opposite. Yunobo seemed particularly sensitive to this air of fear that now clung to them, for he got little enough sleep for him to act like a zombie in the day. Often when they encountered a band of monsters they would have to tell the Goron before he even reacted.

Maybe that fear was really why Sidon and Ziya chose to split for a while. Just to get away from the unnecessary stress.

Crickets chirped as dusk descended and Hyrule Castle fell behind another mountain. It was here that Ghirahim stopped, his head turning toward boulder that offered some semblance of protection should it rain.

"We should get to Kakariko by noon tomorrow at the latest," Ghirahim said, turning to the rest of them. "I'd figure you're tired by now."

"You'd _figure_?" Yunobo exclaimed, yawning before he continued his complaints. "This is the most walking I've done in ages!"

"Quit complaining," Ghirahim snapped. "Just because you're a child doesn't mean I should baby you. You're the one that decided to travel with us, so you'll go by our rules."

"Ghirahim," Link said, frowning. "Go a little easy on him, will you?"

"You're too soft," Ghirahim complained, shaking his head. "You've hardly changed."

Link sighed. "I think I'm fine. Anyway, I thought Sidon would be here by now."

"Where is he?" Brutela asked, releasing thoughts that had been silenced moments before. "I know he has wounded with him, but I thought he would get here before us."

"He still has Lanayru Wetlands to get through," Ghirahim said, turning his head toward the shallow waters just off the road. "I'm sure he'll be fine."

Link looked up at the night sky, where the stars were blocked out by clouds. Within them lightning flickered and flashed. He glanced toward the trees in the area, hoping for firewood. The night was cold. "I hope they get here soon. I think it's gonna storm."

"They're fine," Ghirahim said as he dropped a load of sticks by their rock. "I don't think we'll be in much better shape than them when the rain comes anyway. This isn't the best place to travel through during raining season. But it's the shortest way to Kakariko."

Link frowned, glancing at the sticks and the rock. It really did offer poor protection from the elements, but it was the best thing in sight. "I guess you're right."

/

"This is slower than walking," Ziya complained bitterly as they waded through the waters of the Lanayru Wetlands. "Wise idea, Sidon." She looked up at the dark sky. "It's gonna rain soon too. Looks like a storm."

"We'll be okay," Sidon said, frowning as he followed her gaze. He spotted the enormous storm clouds within seconds. "We're almost there."

"Yeah but I've also heard rumors of a guardian that hangs out around here. What if we get blasted before we even have a chance to get even close to Hyrule Castle?"

Sidon drew his spear as he heard quiet clicking and a board creaking. "If we do run into it, instead of getting blown up we can use it as an opportunity to practice killing things like it."

"You're fucking _crazy_!"

"No. I'm just well aware that there's no way we can turn back now. May as well think positively, yeah?"

The clicking was getting closer. He stopped, looking around. There was the ruins of a small village to their left. He spotted a single leg there, then it quickly moved out of sight. Ziya hushed, following his gaze. Her eyes widened.

" _We can't fucking fight in this!_ " she whispered furiously.

"Yes we can. Just remember what Father taught us." He turned to the others. "Someone needs to distract it while someone else kills it."

"Is that your plan, Prince Sidon?" Bazz asked uncertainly. "Perhaps it isn't my place to question you, but maybe we should just hide and go around. Your plan seems dangerous."

"Father is _dead_ ," Ziya hissed before Sidon could answer the Zoran general. Sidon's hands trembled. "You can't seem to get that through your head!"

"I know that, Ziya," he replied with a shaky voice, attempting to brush off her comment. "But until this is over he's all we have. Bazz, there's no way to hide from that guardian here and get to Link before nightfall. All we can do is try to make quick work of it."

 _Is it gonna be like this all the time when I'm king? Gods, I hope not._

"SIDON!" Ziya yelled, forcing him to turn his head back toward the village. The guardian had seen them, and it was crawling toward them at frightening speed. A beam was already charging up, and it was aimed directly at the Zora Prince.

 _Ziya ran behind a large rock while Sidon hid among the ruins of a small house. The other Zora scattered, taking shelter near either the Zora Prince or the Zora Princess. The guardian continued toward where it had last seen them in hopes of spotting its prey once more. Sidon felt his heart pounding and reminded himself of the many things his father had told him to calm down. He could do this. He was prepared. He'd done it before._

Just like you're prepared to take Father's place when this is over?

He grit his teeth. _I don't need to worry about that now._ I need to focus on killing this guardian and regrouping with Link.

jumped out, waving his spear above his head. "Here, to me!" he yelled, his eyes showing the wild fear that he felt.

 _Bazz, no!_ Sidon thought, though really he knew that this was what had to be done. He would have preferred to lure the guardian himself, but he knew that they would never let him. He was to be the king. Or rather, he already was.

Bazz dashed out of the way of a guardian beam. Knowing the older Zora wouldn't be able to keep that up for long, he ran toward the guardian.

There were three ways to attack a guardian, all of them horribly inconvenient for any normal Zora, Rito, or Hylian—the eye, the neck, and the underside. Sidon decided to go for the neck, though it would be difficult finding the sweet spot that would allow him to kill it. He was at eye level with it anyway.

He shoved his spear into the crevice that was the neck, shoving it in as deep as he possibly could. The guardian spazzed, its lights flickering. When it turned toward him, he shoved the spear into its eye, then into the neck once more for good measure.

Malice leaked out, then faded and exploded into nothing.

The guardian's lights went out, and it died.

The lightning storm came soon after, so the Zora were forced to take shelter within the village for the night. By the next morning, they regrouped with Link's group, and from there they continued to Kakariko.

It was around noon that Link spotted the group of strange frog statues surrounding a graveyard. Just a little further ahead, beyond an archway, was Kakariko Village.

There was a guard stationed under the arch, leaning against it with his head hanging down. He looked up as the group approached. He narrowed his eyes, but then they widened as they fell on Link.

"Hylian Champion!" he exclaimed. "Lady Impa has been expecting you to return." He turned his gaze to the others, and when his eyes fell on Ghirahim he paused. "Didn't Impa tell us to keep an eye out for you?"

Ghirahim rolled his eyes, opening his mouth to respond before Link cut him off.

"He's fine," Link said quickly. He didn't want to deal with any conflict today, not after the various monsters they'd encountered on the way here. One of the groups had been on horses, and it wasn't fun dodging them.

The guard frowned, but shook his head. "I suppose I should trust you if the Hylian Champion does... Go on. We shouldn't keep our lady waiting if it isn't necessary."

Link let out an eternal sigh of relief as he followed Ghirahim past the arch and into the village itself.

Any thoughts of the guard at the entrance to Kakariko left him as he saw the rest of it. Eyes and mouths fell wide open as they beheld the half-destroyed village. Many houses had been burnt to a pile of ash, others left as hardly anything but their framework. Others had been very obviously burnt, and while they weren't as bad off as the others, it was dangerous to enter those houses for the risk of it collapsing. Tents had been set out at the front of the village, many of them in no better shape than the houses.

Impa's house was not spared from the damage; part of a wall had been blown off, although someone had tried to seal it with cloth. The steps were damaged, but they would still have to use them to get to the house itself.

"I suppose this place wasn't spared when Ganon escaped a couple of weeks ago," Ghirahim commented, trying to ignore the looks we was beginning to receive from the other villagers. "Come on. We don't exactly have much time to spare."

They headed toward Impa's house, which was still guarded by two guards. Quickly, the older one stepped in front of the stairs when Ghirahim approached.

"Who are these people?" he asked, narrowing his eyes.

"They're friends," Link said, beginning to feel embarrassed. He wished the Sheikah weren't so paranoid, though they probably had to due to the Yiga Clan.

The interior of the house was lit simply by candles. Impa herself sat on the floor with the gray haired girl that Link only vaguely remembered by now. Purah was also there, Symin beside her. The four of them looked over drawings of what appeared to be Hyrule Castle. Scattered about were arrows not unlike the ones that Purah had given him in Hateno Village. The four Zora had to duck to get inside.

She looked up as they entered, squinting in suspicion at Ghirahim but otherwise smiling warmly. "Took you long enough. My sister didn't tell me about your friends." Purah scoffed.

"That's your _sister_!?" Sidon blurted, gobsmacked.

"Yes, indeed," Impa said, tone sharp. The Zora shut his mouth, sensing her lack of time for jokes. "Anyway, we were trying to figure out a way to get inside Hyrule Castle. Sit down, I suppose, if any of you want to participate."

One by one they sat down, though Link suspected the four Zora with Sidon and Ziya only wanted to listen so that they could know what they were going to do.

"Anyway," Impa said, "there are several routes inside. I think the best one is likely across the bridge in Castletown. Kass says the bridge hasn't crumbled. The only issue is guardians, but we managed to create several arrows to kill them with ease."

"But how are we going to open the bridge gate?" Ghirahim said, narrowing his eyes. "You haven't been there a hundred years, but you should be able to figure out that no smart human being is going to leave the most important structure in their kingdom wide open during an attack. The Calamity was, indeed, an attack."

Impa frowned. "I see you're the type to shoot down other's ideas as soon as they disagree with yours."

Ghirahim's eyes narrowed, but Link's look of disapproval kept him from saying anything he would regret later.

"I know he broke into your house and everything, but Ghirahim's right," Purah said, glancing at the demon out of the corner of her eye. "I don't think those people were stupid."

Impa averted her eyes. "My apologies. The bridge gate is made of metal, though. It shouldn't be difficult to use a magnet...oh, but the Sheikah Slate has been stolen, hasn't it? Kass told me."

"Maybe I could get it open," Yunobo suggested.

"But you're a child! Like, literally, a child!" Purah said. "You can't go there!"

"I have to go," Yunobo said, frowning at the smaller girl. "Lord Daruk would have went when he was alive, so I have to too."

"We've had this debate before. The kid made up his mind, and I don't think it's our place to stop him," Teba said.

Impa pursed her lips and turned toward Yunobo. "Do you know where you are going?"

"I'm well aware," Yunobo said, his eyes burning with determination. "I have to do this. For everyone in Goron City."

"Alright, fine..." Impa said, brushing off the subject surprisingly quickly. Her shoulder slumped. As the leader of Kakariko, she had a lot of weight on her shoulders.

Teba spoke up. "Anyway, if Yunobo can't open the bridge gate, I can fly inside. Maybe find a way to open it."

"There's also the docks, if the Zora are willing to help with that," Ghirahim said, glancing at Sidon.

"I could definitely help," Sidon said, "but I don't think I could ever carry a Goron. No offense."

Yunobo shook his head. "None taken."

"It might be best to take the docks anyway," Purah said. "We made more of those ancient arrows with the guardians in Fort Hateno. What ancient arrows you don't use on the way there you'll need in Hyrule Castle, and I think there's only one guardian you could possibly encounter on the way there. All of Ganon's power is contained in the castle, so it can do whatever the hell it wants. There'll be guardians, lizalfos...everything you can name. Including...lynels."

Both Gerudo visibly paled at the mention, and those who could not express fear through skin color clearly showed their fear in their expressions. Ghirahim creased his brow, pressing his lips tightly together. Link's face mirrored them. How powerful could these lynels be if no face was spared from the fear in the air?

"So...we're going by the docks then," Link said.

"Yunobo and I can go through the bridge gate," Ghirahim said. "It's dangerous to go alone, and it doesn't take much for me to kill a guardian."

"I can kill a guardian too," Yunobo said. "I just can't do it much. If you reflect their beam with magic it can kill them almost instantly."

Ghirahim cursed under his breath. He hadn't thought of that.

"Tomorrow we'll get you a few horses, and overnight we'll make more ancient arrows," Impa said. "You will need them when facing the guardian stalkers. The rest of you should rest. My granddaughter can take you to the inn."

/

The room was dark, completely dark. But that was okay because Link was supposed to be asleep and Ghirahim was with him. The demon's hesd rested on his shoulder, both arms clinging to the Hylian Champion. Link slept in his underwear, which Ghirahim seemed to enjoy greatly.

It wasn't Link's fault he was awake, really. He was still terrified at the thought of heading to Hyrule Castle the next day.

He didn't want to face Ganon. He didn't want the fate of the world to be decided tomorrow. He didn't want to question if he would live or die. He didn't want to put his friends at risk.

Ghirahim's hand shifted up to his shoulder, tracing a scar there. It was the first time he'd moved since they settled in the bed an hour before. "You're still awake."

"So are you," Link replied.

"A man's sleeping schedule is only as healthy as his state of mind," Ghirahim said, his voice sounding far away. He ran his fingers across a scar on Link's cheek, kissing the opposite cheek as he did so. "I'm not gonna lie to you. Someone is going to die in Hyrule Castle. But you can't let that thought impede you. You have a job to do in there."

Link didn't answer, his words only making things worse.

His lips trailed down to Link's jaw, then toward his neck, where he gently bit the rough skin. Link had no idea that Ghirahim had sharp teeth until that moment. Ghirahim's hand trailed down to Link's chest, where his fingers ran over wrinkly skin from a burn he'd gotten a century before.

"Do you remember where you got this, Link?"

"If I remembered it would be a miracle."

"Tch." Ghirahim shifted and sat up on his elbow. "Well before the Calamity, when the Sheikah were still trying to figure out how to use the guardians, you decided to go out and have a look at them. I can't blame you. Anyway, someone did something stupid and messed up and one of the guardians fired. Fortunately it was only a weak beam compared to what the guardians do now, but it still hit you in the chest. From what you told me had you been any closer you would have died."

Link fell quiet, listening to Ghirahim's voice. He noticed for the first time that he could hear the remnants of a fading accent within it, but he doubted he would ever know where he got it from. Not that it mattered; he loved it anyway. _Goddesses, I fucking love Ghirahim in general._

Ghirahim fell silent, his cool breath brushing against Link's neck. His hands wandered south, testing his boundaries, before it trailed back toward the scar on Link's chest. "That's probably the only scar you got when you weren't in battle."

His fingers trailed across Link's stomach, where they felt more scars from various fights. Some of the scars had come from before Link even turned thirteen. Ghirahim kissed him once more, at first soft, almost gentle, but within moments it had become lust driven. Link found himself on top of Ghirahim, only cut off when the other pulled his thin shirt off.

Naturally, Link had that aching sense of familiarity, but he pushed it away for now. It wasn't important.

It occurred to him that this might have been a distraction from his mission the next morning. Now Hyrule Castle was fresh on his mind again and suddenly he wasn't much in the mood.

"You're still anxious?" Ghirahim said, his arms wrapping around Link's neck.

"We could all die tomorrow," Link said, inhaling deeply. "That's a terrifying thought, you know? We could die tomorrow and our deaths would have literally no impact."

Ghirahim shifted under him, and there was no denying the ruined mood. For a moment, they'd tasted freedom. Perhaps the freedom had involved hardly anything more than their bodies, but it was freedom nonetheless.

"Well you'll definitely be dying if you don't sleep," Ghirahim said.

"You're not worried?"

"All I'm worried about is you getting your damned rest. Knowing you you'll be whining about it in the morning." Ghirahim's tone was lighthearted, but it hardly made Link feel any better.

"I'm serious."

"Everything that comes out of my mouth is serious and worth listening to," Ghirahim said. "So I'm saying you should quit worrying about it until tomorrow. You can face that in the morning."

"It's not that easy. Maybe it is for you, but not for me."

He heard a loud sigh from the demon, then felt him shift so he was hovering over him. "How about I make it easy?"

\\\\\

If you think I'm gonna finish this scene you're wrong.


	23. Before the Storm

I don't really have an excuse for not updating for so long.

\\\

Link could barely breathe. Something wrapped around his neck, squeezing the air out of him with terrifying force. For now, Zelda's Light kept him from death.

He couldn't see her, but he could feel her gaze. Her eyes were wide and her hair fell about her in a blonde mess. Her fingers were intertwined in prayer, calling out to gods that had long forgotten her, to protect people that doubted she ever existed.

And on her right hand the Triforce glowed with its blinding light. It could not pierce the darkness of Malice, but it could keep it at bay.

He looked down and realized he knew all this because he didn't have to see her if he _was_ her. This was what she was experiencing at this very moment.

 _Finally!_ Zelda's voice echoed around him, her relief audible. How long had she been trying to talk to him? _Link, I don't have long. You have to listen. Castle Town and Hyrule Castle are still under Ganon's power. Nothing I can do there. You have to get the Sheikah Slate back. If you don't, Ganon will send every piece of Sheikah technology under its control after you._

Her words were frantic, coming at him almost as fast as he could process them.

 _Use the Sheikah Slate to destroy it all. Divine Beasts, guardians, everything. I know there's a way. Maybe I sound crazy. In fact, I_ am _crazy, but this is the only way any of us will make it out of this alive._

 _I love you. Good luck._

Link knew the exact moment that the connection broke, because in the same moment he awoke in a cold sweat. Her presence still hovered over him, but it faded as he lay in the bed, wrapped tightly in the blankets, completely nude, the peace that the night before had ended with completely gone.

At the same time, he became aware of Ghirahim, who stood over him with a scowl. As he looked up at the demon, Ghirahim's scowl deepened. "Must you be so difficult to wake up? I even stuck ice down your shirt. You didn't even stir."

"Princess Zelda," Link said. "She's alive."

"Did you think she was dead?" Ghirahim tilted his head slightly and grinned. "She's a fighter. The only reason she wasn't fighting with you during the Calamity was because of her upbringing. As it is now, it doesn't matter how weak she is. She'll keep fighting."

"But...when Ganon escaped... I thought maybe..."

Ghirahim shook his head. "No. She simply slipped up and let it out. I just hope she hasn't been conscious the entire century. Anyway, hurry up and get dressed. We're serving breakfast... It has cinnamon rolls. If I recall, that used to be your favorite. Don't keep me waiting."

Ghirahim stepped out, closing the door behind him.

Link quickly pulled on his clothes, shaking his head in dismay as he noticed all the stains and tears in the fabric. He supposed nothing he wore would be spared from this fate, no matter if it was before, during, or after the Calamity.

His attention immediately fell toward the Master Sword. Although no doubt the blade had been through countless battles with evil, it showed none of that in its pristine sapphire hilt and perfectly carved scabbard. It was difficult to believe that a century ago he had carried the same blade...yet he did.

He slung the strap over his shoulder and stepped out.

In the inn's common room, Link found the others, minus the Zora. Ghirahim stood behind an empty chair, his back to Link. Yunobo stood on the opposite end. Before Link even stepped into view, Ghirahim turned his head and waved him over.

As Link walked toward the table, all eyes were on him, and though these were all people that he'd traveled with, some for quite a while, their gazes felt judgmental and hostile. He couldn't help but think back to that shadow demon and its harsh words.

"So you're finally out of bed, eh?" Teba said, a grin tugging at the corners of his beak. "We were beginning to wonder if we'd have to defeat Ganon without you."

"Yes, Teba, I'm sure that would have worked out quite well for us," Ghirahim replied, raising a single eyebrow at the Rito.

"Where's the Zora?" Link asked, completely ignoring the small exchange. He took his seat in front of the empty plate.

"They went ahead while we were waiting for you to wake up," Ghirahim said. "Nice to see you're already carrying that sword around."

Link glanced over his shoulder, catching the sword in his peripheral vision, but said nothing, knowing from experience that everyone in the room would hate him if he spoke with his mouth full.

Breakfast passed in silence. Afterwards, they left one by one, Link being the last person to close the doors of the half-destroyed inn. Toward the roof, it was apparent they tried to nullify the effects of the damage by nailing a large cloth over the hole there. The cloth was soaked from a storm the night before.

And tonight, there would be more storms.

"There's been so much rain, and it only rains at night. I wonder if that's a sign," one Sheikah said as Link passed them on his way to Impa's house. He could already see three horses tethered to a post by the wooden steps: one was large and muscular, with deep gray coat and a black mane and the next one had a light gray coat with a white mane.

The third one in particular caught Link's attention, because he was sure he'd seen it before. A ridiculous thought, of course; no horse could live a hundred years, but it bothered him nonetheless. Its coat was dark brown, and a short, black mane hung over its head. A strip of white split its forehead, and near the hooves it's coat turned white.

He disregarded the thought. The others stood at the bottom of Impa's steps. Symin was with them, carrying Purah with one arm. Purah held the ancient arrows that she and Impa had likely made the night before. Teba had a bow slung over his shoulder, and a quiver was attached to his belt. Both Brutela and Elon carried new broadswords, although the former also carried a shield. Ghirahim stood with no weapons, although Link knew by now that when the time came he could summon them. Gripping the strap that held the Master Sword to his back, Link ran to meet them.

Symin glanced over his shoulder as Link approached and smiled warmly. "You're awake. At last."

"What were you doing?" Link asked, casting another glance at the horses.

"We were making the final preparations. Those over there are the horses that we arranged. Teba said he was fine with flying."

 _And of course Ghirahim doesn't like riding horseback,_ Link thought.

"What about the arrows?"

"They're yours, of course," Purah said. "There's a bow, too. Impa's just messing with it a bit since it didn't want to work."

"There's a bow?" Link asked.

"Well, I just said there was." The girl leaned forward. "Anyway we packed some provisions and water. You should probably take it with you when you actually go in the castle. It's not exactly your common house, you know. It won't be easy finding your way without climbing. And the climbing equipment created by our ancestors is lost within the castle."

 _These people rely a lot on ancient technology,_ Link thought. He recalled Zelda telling him to destroy it, guardians and all. Did she mean this too?

Impa's door opened, and the Sheikah elder herself stepped out, holding a large bow in her hands. Link immediately noticed the strange designs similar to that of the Sheikah technology, and frowned. How could you enhance a weapon like that? Then again, they did the same with swords by making them roast the victims at the same time.

"I believe it should work properly now." Her gaze turned to Link, and she smiled lightly. "Perhaps the Hylian Champion himself should try it?"

Ghirahim stared at the bow with narrowed eyes as Link took it along with an ordinary arrow that the Sheikah elder held out.

"Where's the string?" Link asked. He frowned as he took note of the glaring flaw.

"Try the arrow. Then you'll see."

"How am I supposed to string it?"

"Just try the arrow. Imitate what you would normally do. See if you can hit the tree on that mountain." Impa pointed, and Link followed her finger to find a small tree sitting on the side of one of the mountains that surrounded the village, well above the roof of any house. It wasn't far to walk, but Link doubted he could shoot that far with any bow.

"I don't think I can do that," Link said, furrowing a brow.

"Yes you can. This isn't an ordinary bow, as you can already tell. Also, try removing the cloth."

Link glanced down to find a small cloth tied around the bow's handle. He carefully pulled it off.

A small flash of blue lit up his vision, and the string appeared, glowing bright blue similar to the ancient arrows.

"So what's so special about it?" Ghirahim asked, scowling. "Aside from the fact that it doesn't have a string."

"It is designed to shoot straight, no matter the distance," Impa replied cooly, her eyes drilling into the demon's. "And with less effort than it would take on a normal bow. The string shouldn't burn either. Robbie, one of our siblings in Akkala, spent years designing this and building it. He's designed the arrows too, but Purah helped him with some of the testing. You've likely heard of him. He's known for being crazy, and the fact that he lives in such a secluded area only makes it worse for him."

"So what were these adjustments?" Ghirahim asked, his eyes narrowed. "If he spent so long building it there shouldn't be any."

"Simply to the sensitivity settings. The string appears when Link touches the handle." The Sheikah elder frowned. "Anyways, Link, please..."

Link sighed, stringing the bow (although, as it turned out, as soon as he put the arrow into place the bow did that itself), and took aim. He did not feel much pressure as he pulled back on the arrow, not as much as he would with any ordinary bow. The arm he'd broken on Death Mountain still pulsed with pain, but it was not as bad as with an ordinary bow. If he needed to, he could use it.

The bow did not stretch, not slightly. The string did. When he released the arrow, there was no crack as the string snapped back into place. The arrow went silently, and in a straight line.

He stared toward the tree now, knowing he would be unable to see whether it hit from such a distance but hoping he would nonetheless.

"Well, what do you think?" Purah asked impatiently.

"It's...great." Link frowned down at the bow, wondering how it even worked. In fact, how did _any_ of the technology work?

He supposed he would have been able to ask, but they were short on time. They would be riding toward Hyrule Castle as quickly as they could manage in hopes of getting there early the next day at the latest.

"Anyways, those three horses over there are from the ranch on the other side of Impa's house. That dark brown one, Link, I think should be yours," Impa said. "The others can choose their steed. If we need one more just ask."

Link frowned. "Why is that one mine?"

Impa smiled. "It's descended from your horse a century ago."

 _I guess I won't be able to get from that time period, huh?_

Ghirahim's harsh voice broke the silence, the impatience showing in both his face and his words. "Are we ready? We don't have all day."

"Of course," Impa said. "We packed food and weapons in the saddle bags."

They turned to head toward the horses. Link took one step before Impa called his name.

"One more thing," she said as Link turned his head. "Your name will be in all of our prayers. Whether they know you and what you're doing or not, every creature of light in this world is praying that you prevail. Good luck."

/

They stopped that night just by the Great Plateau, pushing on until they spotted a monster camp not far away. By the time they decided to rest, they were pulling their horses along, and their feet were hurting from the walk. They rested within the ruins of a trading post from a century before. It sat at the base of the Great Mountain, which now featured the burnt ruins of the Temple of Time.

Ghirahim departed from there, muttering that Link wouldn't forgive him if he let Yunobo die. No one had meant to hear it, but Link did and frowned. At least he planned to keep the Goron safe. They offered each other a kiss before they went, for luck.

The next day they set out once more, following the road across Central Hyrule, steering clear of any guardian they encountered. Their travels were fairly peaceful; there wasn't much talking, and no monster dared to camp out near the castle.

It was only when they reached the ruins of a park that they encountered anything.

 _Great Hyrule Forest Park,_ Link thought, absentmindedly looking around at the half destroyed water fountains and crumbling, brick road. Overhead, the sky was clear, but coming in from the Necluda Sea were storm clouds, which would eventually reach the castle. It did not matter to nature whether people were absent or not.

Brutela's horse screeched as she yanked it to a stop, her hands shaking. "Stop!" she snapped. When the others turned to look at her, she inhaled a shaky breath. "Do you not see the guardian? It's hard to see through the trees, but..."

"Shouldn't we be able to go around?" Elon asked. He looked pale and tired.

"Not with these woods," Link said. "It's called Great Hyrule Forest Park for a reason. I mean, we can risk it if we want, but if it sees us we won't be able to run."

"Where does it say that?" Brutela asked.

"Are you regaining your memories?" Teba asked.

"Only some, as usual," Link replied, trying to ignore his developing headache. "I guess...I guess I liked to take walks here before the Calamity."

"Well I suppose it's still pleasant," Brutela said, glancing around. "A bit eerie, but...pleasant.

"It's fucking _haunted_ ," Elon said, brows furrowed. "Now don't we have something to deal with?"

"I suppose it wouldn't hurt to use _one_ arrow," Link said, pulling one from his quiver with a shaky hand. His hands trembled as he pulled the bow off his back. _What if I miss?_

A guardian was a pretty big target to hit, but hitting its eye was another thing entirely. Especially if this one was mobile.

"I can shoot it if you want," Teba offered, sensing his unease.

"No, I'm fine," Link replied, shaking his head as he dismounted the horse. He doubted it would take kindly to a guardian. "Just wait here."

Link crept through the forest, moving from tree to tree, toward the guardian. Once he stepped on a twig, and the crunch caused the guardian to snap its head in his direction. Thankfully, he hid behind a tree before it could spot him. However, now its lights glowed purple, indicating that it was on high alert.

 _So quickly?_ Link thought. _I don't think it could see anything._

He'd only encountered a guardian twice, but he was certain that it wasn't supposed to be on high alert.

He glanced over his shoulder at the others, and noted the concern in their eyes as well as they locked on to him. Perhaps they thought the same thing.

 _Just kill it!_

Link stepped out from his cover, making sure he stepped on the same twig. As soon as the eye faced him, before the laser even appeared, Link let the arrow fly.

The flash of blue as the arrow hit its mark was blinding. By the time Link could see again, an explosion from within the guardian had blown it on its side, with its head twenty feet away. It's lights flickered, then went dead. Malice seeped out of the thing, then disappeared as it returned to its master.

The two Gerudo warily approached, their eyes glued to the guardian, as if they thought it could repair itself. Perhaps it could have, if Link hadn't destroyed it from the inside out. Elon was deathly pale; Link would have asked if he was alright if he didn't feel the same way himself.

 _It was dark. The moon shone quietly overhead, innocently watching the pair from afar. Ghirahim stood beside him, in the normal human form, the cape draped around his shoulders. They had stood in this very spot a hundred years ago, their minds on anything but Ganon. "I wish I knew who you are,_ hero _," Ghirahim said, glancing down at Link._

Link shook his head. He couldn't be having an episode like this now, when they were so close to Hyrule Castle. The only one he'd had before was in Faron Woods, but at least that area was somewhat safe.

 _Ghirahim's words hung over the air, trapping them in that moment, in that time. The wind blew through their hair, through the trees, its whistle encouraging the silent hero to speak. Finally, Link opened his mouth, and he responded: "I wish the same thing about you, Ghirahim."_

 _Ghirahim took no time in answering. "I am a demon as your princess suspects. However, it is difficult to have malicious intent when you have no intent at all."_

 _Link shook his head. "Everyone has something they want."_

 _Ghirahim grinned. Link frowned, avoiding the demon's dark eyes. "And so he speaks. And if you want to say that, you could say my intent is to find something to do. Being immortal is quite dull when your master is dead."_

Link clung to a tree, his head pulsing with pain as if someone was stabbing him. He blinked, trying to focus on the real world, but instead he went under once more. At least no one had yet to notice he wasn't aware of his surroundings for the time being.

 _The fires wouldn't stop burning. As they pushed forward, people around them fled in the opposite direction. Sometimes, someone nearby would shriek as a guardian shot them down, but in the end they wouldn't stop._

"Link?" Brutela asked as his expression contorted with pain. Link barely noticed her. Even if he had tried to answer her, instead of words coming out of his mouth it would have been vomit.

 _The smell of burning flesh was strong, clinging to the air with a death grip. The moon over them was blood red, glaring down at them as if it were Ganon's Eye, and with that Eye it could see the entire world._

The smell reached even the present, even the real world, and Link retched.

 _"Link, we should go back to Hateno. It's too dangerous h-Oh, Gods!"_

Link would never remember the appearance of what they spotted in that moment, but he would always know that it was his father he found in this park, exhaling his last breath as Link approached. Shot in the stomach by a guardian. Most of the damage appeared to be internal.

He clung to a tree next to him, ignoring the pain in his nails as they sunk into the bark. He didn't feel as if he would throw up any second now, but the smell lingered among his senses, and his stomach didn't like it much.

"I'm fine," he said abruptly as Teba approached, having taken the flask and opened it, likely ready to dump it on his head.

"Bullshit," Teba said, glaring down at him. "You acted like we didn't exist and looked ready to puke. What the hell was that?"

"I don't know," Link lied. He really didn't feel like bringing up that he just remembered where he found his dad during the Great Calamity. Now he felt cold, incredibly cold, as if something was trying to freeze his very soul. He shivered. "Let's just get out of here."

Before he had felt fairly relaxed in this place. Now he felt as if the shadows cloaking the trees behind him were about to kill him.

"Not until you stop looking like you just saw Death himself. You're the main guy in all of this. If something happens to you, we all die."

Link shook his head, furrowing his brow as he thought up a quick excuse. "I'm not leaving Ghirahim and Yunobo in there alone. They said we were going to meet up with them in the dining area. It's best we head there. We should hurry."

"I want to get out of here too," Elon said, breaking his silence. He likely had the same feelings as Link had moments before. They were alone, yet they felt as if they were surrounded by a large crowd, and this crowd which consisted of the dead only wanted more death to come out of this ordeal. "We can take a break once we know the other two are safe."

Brutela turned to look over her shoulder, a frown embedded deep into her face.

"I'll be fine," Link insisted. "Just let's go. I think Ghirahim said that we don't have long before Ganon escapes again."

/

The ruins of Great Hyrule Forest Park was haunting at night. For now, it stood in Hyrule Castle's shadow, in near total darkness. The Malice _did_ cast the area in a slight, eerie purple glow. It didn't help that it had only been five minutes since he left their group in favor of searching for the Goron.

The only sound was that of pebbles grinding together under Ghirahim's feet and the quiet whistle of the wind. Perhaps, if he had stood still and listened, he would have been able to make out the crying voices of those long gone, but he did not bother.

Several times he and Link had met here, at least a century ago when it wasn't a pile of rubble. The first time was upon the Champion's request.

 _You know, I don't think your little princess likes me very much,_ he recalled saying, the words coming out before Link could even open your mouth. Link had simply shook his head in response.

 _A moment of silence passed as Link forgot what he was initially going to say (likely "hello"), and planned out his next move. "She probably doesn't," he replied. "But...neither of us know shit about you, so it's understandable."_

 _"You don't know shit about me? My name doesn't suffice? And I'm sure you've figured out my personality by now."_

 _Link put a hand on his forehead. "But your past, just exactly who you are..."_

 _"Then both of you would hate me if you knew more about that," Ghirahim said._

 _"I won't," Link said, brows furrowed with concern. "Everything you tell me tonight I won't hold against you. At all."_

 _"Oh yes you will, liar," Ghirahim snapped back, much more aggressive than the Hylian Champion. "You'll remember everything. You'll take it with you when you go to bed tonight, and it'll still be on your mind when you go on you daily adventure with the princess tomorrow. I'm not an imbecile. I know how this works."_

 _Link was dead silent, staring out toward the castle._

 _"Perhaps, if you'll give it time," Ghirahim said, "I will tell you. Everything."_

The next time they'd met in this park, almost a year after they met, Ghirahim _had_ told him. Link had listened, and in the end Link did not hold it against him. They'd continued to meet here, in this park, and occasionally they would walk through the forest that gave the park its name. It had been destroyed during the Calamity and never grew back, likely due to the Malice, but at least some of the forest was left. Perhaps, when they defeated Ganon and saved Princess Zelda, the park could be restored to its former glory.

But it would never be the same.

Dammit. Ghirahim just wanted his boyfriend back. He wanted the Hero of the Sky back. He wanted it all back. He'd outlived it all, and he would outlive this Link as well.

Recalling the Goron that was likely waiting for him in Castle Town, Ghirahim turned and walked back up the path, deciding that was enough reminiscing for the day. Enough mourning for things he couldn't get back. As he walked, he glanced up at the towers. Why were they red? What purpose did they serve?

He hadn't realized how he was used to the chirp of crickets and constant chatter of those among their group until he was alone. No life could survive near Hyrule Castle, not for long anyway. The Malice tainted the air, the ground, everything, and the demon suspected that the curse of that Malice would last forever, it was so ingrained now.

He spotted a guardian stalker near a patch of trees, which he knew by now surrounded ceremonial grounds. Link once told him that those grounds had been blessed by the Seven Sages, who had assisted in sealing Ganon away over ten thousand years ago. But now Link himself didn't even know that.

They were supposedly reincarnated, but if they were no one had found them.

The demon clambered over a pile of rubble that had once been part of Castle Town's wall, jumping off a rock onto a narrow dirt road. Around him laid the ruins of a broken civilization that had been slaughtered over a century before. Many buildings had been reduced to nothing but their bases and frames. There was a church nearby, though it was not as big as the Temple of Time, and nearly the entire thing had crumbled, revealing the rows and rows of faded and and dusty seats.

Beyond that, near what he was sure had once been a prison, was a guardian, its blue eye carefully searching the ruins. Behind them, toward the fountain, was another guardian. Behind the ruins of a small house he spotted Yunobo, curled into a ball and with a shield of Light protecting him. He suspected that it was the same magic that he mentioned when he said he could reflect a guardian beam.

 _Daruk had something similar, didn't he?_

Ghirahim supposed it didn't matter now. Three daggers appeared in front of him, moving with him as he crept behind a building, hoping to take the guardian by surprise. He walked along the house wall until he found himself on the side of the main road, which lead to the water fountain and would eventually take one to the top of Hyrule Castle. Of course, this road was too dangerous to take, but he figured a child like Yunobo wouldn't know that. That was why he was being forced to hide.

Ghirahim darted across the road, sliding behind another ruined building, this one appearing to be a store based on the shelves that he saw on one of the intact walls. Moving from house to house, he made his way toward the Goron. When he was close the daggers disappeared. It was best to avoid frightening him here.

"Yunobo," Ghirahim said, voice hushed, as he approached him.

Perhaps had Ghirahim said it any louder, or had been any closer, Yunobo would have screamed. But instead his shield immediately dispelled as his focus broke, and the Goron stared at him with wide eyes, before realizing who it was.

"Did you have to scare me like that?" Yunobo whispered aggressively.

"I didn't 'scare' you," Ghirahim said. "I simply said your name. There is no better way to approach you."

Yunobo glared at him, but said nothing.

"You realize you took the most dangerous way into town, right?"

"You could have told me that."

"Well, child, you're in one of the most dangerous areas in the world. I would think the main road of travel would be quite dangerous."

Yunobo fell into another pissy silence.

"Don't move unless I tell you to," Ghirahim said. As he shifted toward the opposite end of the home, sliding along the dusty brick wall, the daggers appeared again, hovering in front of him as if they were a shield.

Ghirahim stepped out from behind the building, making certain that he ground his foot in the cracked and eroded rock as he did so. When the nearest guardian turned, one of the daggers zipped toward it, but missed as the Guardian shifted slightly. He cursed, narrowly jumping out of the way of the bright beam that followed.

Now it seemed that every guardian in Castle Town planned to attack them, closing in on the pair.

 _It's just like the Calamity,_ Ghirahim thought. _One guardian would see Link and suddenly all the others would be after him._

Why would they all be after him like that?

Because Ganon wanted them to do that. It wasn't just protecting territory. It was trying to kill him.

"Yunobo, get out of here!" Ghirahim called, voice stern. He couldn't allow himself to feel a sliver of fear, though he knew well he would have to follow after the Goron before long. This wasn't going to be fun and games.

"What about you?" Yunobo asked, shrinking against the wall. His shield began to shimmer into existence.

" _Just do as I say!_ " Ghirahim snapped, taking cover in a smaller, broken home as a second guardian approached. It was him the guardians were after, but he didn't doubt that they would change their mind when they spotted Yunobo.

He ran from his cover, darting toward another building as one of the guardians shot the ground behind him, causing an explosion of rocks and dirt.

The demon glanced at the Goron to find him heading toward Hyrule Castle. He wasn't wrong in doing it; no guardian stalker dared to brave the terrain of Hyrule Castle, and the stationary ones were much easier to hide from.

The Goron made it to the bridge as Ghirahim managed to slice a dagger through the disk that controlled the guardian's head, effectively disabling that part. As strong and superior as he was, he doubted he would hit another mark like that ever again.

He was having to deal with three now, and he barely managed. He grit his teeth and decided to make a run for it. No way would he be able to aim when he was also trying to dodge beam after beam. Precision took focus, and that was something he couldn't afford in this situation.

In hopes of at least distracting the guardians, he sent his daggers toward them as hard and as quick as he could. Then he turned and ran, feet pounding on rock as he headed toward the bridge as quickly as he could.

Yunobo was pulling the door open, straining as he went. His eyes widened as he turned his head and saw Ghirahim running at him, a guardian chasing after him. His eyes widened and he backed into the metal door.

"Go _in,_ dammit!" Ghirahim snarled. Yunobo gladly listened, rushing inside. Ghirahim slipped past him, and together they shoved the gate closed. Ghirahim went toward the middle and let down the metal lock.

Yunobo breathed heavily, a bead of sweat running down his face. Perhaps in Death Mountain no such thing would have occurred, but he hadn't been there in over a week. He turned to Ghirahim, who let out a sigh of relief. Now the Goron took in his full face in all its ash gray glory. He wasn't sure if his lips and under his eye was makeup or not, but he was sure the skin tone was natural, but also not.

"That wasn't exactly pleasant," Ghirahim breathed as he stepped away from the door and looked up at the symbol of Hyrule, which he knew was the Crimson Loftwing. They were really here, in Hyrule Castle. From here they would head to the dining room, where he would wait for Link to arrive, maybe gather some food. Hopefully it would all go smoothly, and he would get to meet Link again tomorrow.

"Thank you. You got me out of a tight spot," Yunobo said. "You know, I've never heard anyone ask you this, but what are you?"

Ghirahim turned his head, narrowing his eyes at Yunobo. "What do you mean what am I?"

"Your skin tone," Yunobo said nervously, bringing his hands up to his chest. "And the way you handle things. And the strength you showed just now... It's all so weird and inhuman."

There was a pause. Ghirahim's eyes trailed toward the gate as he seemed to consider something important. A frown spread across his lips and deepened. "I suppose it's best you know. I'm a demon."

Yunobo jerked back at those three words, his eyes bulging. "A demon? Why didn't you tell us?"

"Would you have told anyone if you were of a tribe that has been shunned by mankind since man came into existence, Yunobo?" Ghirahim asked. "Anyway, I don't think I've harmed any of you in particular."

Yunobo fell silent, knowing that he was right. If he had been put into Ghirahim's position, he would prefer not to tell anyone either. It was best he keep trust rather than break it in favor of everyone and their mom knowing what you are. And, he _hadn't_ done any harm to anyone. The worst he ever did was get angry at everyone. It was strange to think that a demon would be working against the Demon King, but he easily guessed that Link was the reason why. They were closer to each other than to anyone else in the group.

"Now that I've answered your question, let's go," Ghirahim said. "It's dangerous out here. Not much better inside, but we'll have a better time securing an area for you to rest."

"Yeah, I hope so," Yunobo said, and looked up at the stone path that lead around the castle. No weeds poked through it; the cracks in the stone were caused by the weather and time alone. The storm they had seen earlier was beginning to move in.

They were here. They were in Hyrule Castle. Ganon was only a couple of hundred feet above them, as real as the ground under their feet.

"Let's go," Ghirahim said, and started up the path, Yunobo following close behind.


End file.
